Power Rangers SPD: Year 3
by D.Nic
Summary: After an hellacious year fighting the evil of Omallix, the Rangers find themselves again in trouble. Sky is charged with violating S.P.D.'s code of ethics, leaving Bridge to lead the team while Syd finds herself in new territory, all alone. Now Complete!
1. Betrayal

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"BETRAYAL"**

The tavern on Onyx was dark and smoky, just like always. Many things in this galaxy changed over decades, but not this place. It was still a den, a hive for the wicked, the heartless, and the scoundrels of the universe who came far and wide to seek its comfort, or lack thereof.

'More like a cesspool,' Peltor thought to himself.

Peltor had been there for a while, waiting. The auctions on Onyx were still popular, at least to veterans of universal warfare. Unique items would usually find their way to this tavern, where beings like him would buy them for a hefty price and then gladly re-sell them for even higher.

From the second floor of the Onyx tavern, Peltor watched the action. From the balcony, he could see everything that went on down below. He nodded slightly to a towering creature standing near the only doorway. Grivvins was his lookout. No item left the premises without him seeing.

Next, Peltor looked to the bar, as a young human-looking girl served a third drink to the creature sitting there. Not many humans would dare set foot inside this place. Her worn & weary figure was clad only in a tight-fitting two piece cloth wrap, which left little to the imagination. Her hair was knotted and flowed raggedly around her face. The owner's slave girls were a nice addition, although none stayed for more than a week. This one looked surprisingly healthy. The creature she served was Benthon. It was his job to scout potential buyers.

One cloaked being walked by, grazing Benthon. His senses told him that the cloaked figure might be in the market for merchandise today. He nodded to Peltor. Benthon's race could sense mood. Buyers were always hungry in anticipation. The next auction was set to begin in less than 10 minutes.

The cloaked figure sat down at a table near the doorway, where an intergalactic game of Paranwuat was being played. Peltor's gaze moved to the alien creature sitting opposite the cloaked being. He gave the alien a side-glance. That was Migola, the best Paranwuat player this side of Mirinoi. Migola was so good that no one ever noticed that he paid more attention to his surroundings than to the game. Migola was the muscle. He was there just in case an auction got out of hand. Whether Peltor needed to cause a diversion or an all-out assault, Migola was there to start it.

Peltor smiled on the second floor of the tavern, as he knew all of the pieces were in place for the auction. All he needed now was the list. As if on cue, a clawed finger tapped Peltor on the shoulder. He turned suddenly to see just what he had been waiting for.

The clawed finger belonged to the creature's strong metallic form. Its black diamond-shaped eyes stared at Peltor, saying nothing. The eleven spike-shaped protrusions on its head matched most of its body. It was all decidedly orange.

"What took you so long? Emperor Broodwing will not be happy if we miss the next auction," Peltor stated, harshly.

With its sword in one hand, the Orangehead Krybot extended the other and unclenched its fist to reveal a small microchip. Peltor grunted happily and took the microchip, inserting it into a palm-sized computer database. Soon, he was gazing upon a wondrous sight. The long silver blade extended from its base, which was shaped like the head of a Syrian.

"The Shadow Saber." Peltor tried to whisper.

He looked back at the Orangehead. The two shared a long stare for a few moments, before the robot's dark, angry tone was heard.

"It is here and my Emperor wants it," the Orangehead spoke. Its words were cold and calculated.

Then, the sound of increased chatter below caught Peltor's attention. He turned to look back at the crowd, which was beginning to gather near the auction block. The auctioneer was making his way to the stage. He was small, seemingly unnoticeable to the naked eye. If the visitors to the tavern didn't recognize his auctioneer's vest, they may not have started clamoring at all. He bypassed the attempted handshakes, the whispers and even passed an attempted bribe to speed up an auction. He appeared even a bit timid, amongst the cutthroats present on this day. He knew more than others that an angry buyer could snap at any moment, if they lost a bid. His predecessor was destroyed for ending an auction too early. This one too, was going to end quickly, he thought.

He took to the stage and cleared his throat.

"It is almost time for this hour's auction to begin and I'm sure this is one you won't want to miss," the auctioneer said, with a hint of nervousness in his tone. The bidders watched the blue skinned alien with the spectacled eyes gaze out over the crowd, looking at all of them as they got closer to the stage. He looked up at Peltor standing on the second floor balcony.

With the Orangehead by his side, Peltor raised his head high. In that second, his three partners all looked to him. He lowered his head, affirmatively, letting them know the mission was afoot.

At his table, Migola had started up a new game of Paranwuat, with the cloaked stranger, who had just placed a drink order with the tavern's enslaved waitress. There was very little currency at stake in this game. Just enough to warrant a quick outburst if Migola needed to make one. He would accuse his opponent of cheating. It wasn't unheard of here. It would be perfect if Peltor needed a distraction.

As the final moments ticked down, the auctioneer sighed.

"It's time," he said. With that, a chorus of cheers was heard in the crowd before him. One lowly alien brought out the long black case and handed it to the auctioneer. A stand had already been set up on the staging area and the auctioneer was ready to unveil this prize to the masses.

"Before we begin, a word of warning to everyone. Anyone looking for trouble may be asked to leave. I'd prefer no interruptions," the auctioneer said.

He opened the black case to reveal the favored weapon of the S.P.D. Shadow Ranger. The Shadow Saber seemed to shine in the eyes of Peltor and all of the other potential buyers. Peltor nodded to the Orangehead at his side and smiled to himself, knowing this treasure would be worth its weight in galactic credits. Peltor was going to be a rich alien. All he had to do was secure the object and get it in his possession.

Before the auctioneer could sit the Saber down on the viewing stand and take his microphone in hand, there were already shouts of bids.

"Slow down! I can't hear everyone talking at once," he shouted to the screamers around him.

Behind the hustle and bustle of the auction, Migola kept his eyes on Peltor and on his opponent. Across from him, the cloaked stranger seemed to be distracted from the Paranwuat game. Migola began to get an uneasy feeling from the newcomer.

"So, the highest bid is 27 thousand galactic credits," the auctioneer said, his voice a bit low.

Bids started to come in slower, but higher. The bidding was soon just as high as Peltor needed it to be.

"48 thousand credits," Peltor shouted from the second floor. Gasps came from every corner of the place including the auctioneer, followed by silence.

"Did you say 48 thousand credits?" the auctioneer looked for confirmation.

"That's right," Peltor said, "Now, finish the auction," he shouted.

"Well, going once. Going twice. Going...one more time. This is a fine piece of weaponry. Are you sure no one else wants a piece of the action?" the auctioneer said, but no one responded.

"End it!" Peltor shouted.

His three associates all had at least one eye on him, including Migola. The slave girl seemed to be the only one moving in the room at that moment. She arrived at Migola's table and served the cloaked being his drink. She had to nudge him a few times, since he seemed to be more interested in what was going on with the auction. The cloaked figure then stood and turned away from her and towards the auction block.

"S.P.D.! This auction's over," he shouted, valiantly with his hands on his hips. The words caused laughter throughout the tavern. Peltor and his companions, however, were not laughing. The cloaked figure took a small step forward.

"You're all under arrest!"

Peltor had to get that Saber and get it out of here now. Luckily, the sound of S.P.D.'s appearance caused a slight commotion down below. Peltor yelled over the sea of voices.

"Now!"

The cloaked S.P.D. cadet heard Peltor's words and knew time was short. He grabbed his cloak to toss it aside, only to get caught up in the cloth. The slave girl waitress attempted to help the man become uncloaked. Right in front of them, Migola jumped up, toppling the table and catching both off-guard.

"Boom!" the girl yelled to the cloaked cadet, as he finally got free of his cloak.

He passed her his extra laser pistol and she pointed for Migola, who was now gone. She turned to see the monster was now behind her, they wrestled to the floor, fighting over the weapon.

"Uh oh," Boom said, with a stunned look, just as Benthon, who had been sitting at the bar, grabbed him from behind bye the neck and pulled him onto the bar and behind it. Boom dropped his pistol and began clawing at the top of the bar, trying to prevent Benthon from pulling him behind it, but it was too late.

Chaos soon ensued and alien creatures were scattering everywhere.

"Grivvins!" Peltor yelled to his doorman. The tall, slender creature made his way through the crowd of aliens who were running for the exit. He had his eye on the prize.

He jumped onto the stage and reached his hand out for the black case holding the Shadow Saber and was surprised when no one stopped him from taking it. Grivvins looked over to see the auctioneer, flipping towards him! He attempted a swift kick to the midsection, but Grivvins caught his leg. With one swift motion Grivvins twisted the auctioneer's head, which was actually a mask, now blinding him. Still holding his leg, Grivvins pushed the auctioneer off the stage and into the crowd of aliens. He smiled, as he hopped off the stage, with the case underarm.

Up on the balcony, Peltor couldn't believe what he was seeing. He saw Grivvins head for the exit with the Shadow Saber. He looked to the Orangehead.

"Don't just stand there. He has the saber. We need to get out of here. Do something!"

The Orangehead seemed at a loss, as it peered down at the melee down below, seeing the three S.P.D. intruders losing. Peltor pushed the robot aside and aimed at the wall on the second floor, blasting it. The gaping hole brought the sunlight of Onyx indoors. Peltor began walking towards the new exit. But just as Peltor reached the hole in the wall, he heard the Orangehead's grunting voice.

"You want me to do something?" the robot said angrily.

Peltor turned quickly, as the Orangehead went for a thrust kick. Peltor ducked, causing the Orangehead to go flying out of the hole in the wall. It landed on the ground, two stories below. As it hit the ground, it's helmet came flying off to reveal another S.P.D. cadet, Meg Thurman, who winced.

"Ouch," she said.

Before she could get up, Peltor came flying out of the hole, landing on the ground, holding her at bay with his arm-mounted laser pointed at her face. From her position she couldn't do much. She heard a commotion in the distance and turned her head, seeing one of her teammates being chased with the Shadow Saber by Grivvins.

The auctioneer had finally managed to toss his own fake head off, revealing Cadet Duc Sato underneath. He attempted to dodge every attack, but as he kept his eyes on the blade swinging at him, he didn't see Grivvins' foot coming at him with a kick that sent him crashing to the ashy ground.

Then, an explosion caught them all off-guard. Another wall of the tavern was blown away, this time on the ground floor. The forms of Cadets Boom and Parker came flying out of the hole. The cloaked stranger and the fake slave girl were defeated. They tried to help each other up.

But it was too late for them. Benthon and Migola came walking out of the smoking hole, holding the S.P.D. cadets' own laser pistols. They joined their alien friends, Peltor and Grivvins, who was still carrying the Shadow Saber. The four triumphant aliens all stood tall, peering down at the four cadets on the ground, with their weapons pointed directly at their S.P.D. prey.

"Okay. We give up," Boom said, as his comrades all looked upset.

"Game over!" Grivvins yelled, as he pulled a remote control from his pocket and pressed a red button on the device. The alien's form disappeared, leaving behind Bridge Carson.

Next to him, Benthon's body disappeared revealing Quinn Gray. Migola disappeared revealing Z Delgado underneath and finally Peltor's alien self dissolved leaving behind Sophie. All four looked disappointed.

"You give up?" Z said, looking at Boom on the ground. "Rangers don't give up."

"I know, but we messed up. It's all my fault," Boom said, as his squad mates all made it to their feet.

"It wasn't just Boom's fault," Duc spoke up.

"You got that right," Bridge said, nonchalantly, as he began waving around the Shadow Saber as if it were a symphony conductor's wand. "You were the auctioneer, Duc. You have to throw yourself into your role. And, before you fight, remember to take off the big alien head your wearing, so you don't get blinded."

"Right," Duc said, sighing, disappointed in himself.

"It's okay," Casey chimed in. "We'll get better."

"We would have been better if we had the power," Meg said quickly. "I mean if we had morphers, we could have—"

"Don't give me that, Meg," Z said quickly. "Bridge and I lived this scenario last year and we got the job done, without morphing."

Bridge interrupted, "Technically, Z, we did use our morphers to contain the criminals, even though that—"

"Bridge!" Z cut him off.

"Sorry. I know what you meant," Bridge corrected himself. "You guys have to know your enemy and sometimes that means studying their every move."

Meg, Casey, Duc and Boom all lowered their heads a bit. Standing across from them, Quinn noticed their gloom at failing the exercise.

"You'll do better next time, though. You can learn from your mistakes," he said.

"We will," Casey said, looking up at him.

"Definitely," Boom chimed in.

"Good. Because next time, we won't take it so easy on you," Bridge said, slyly. "End simulation."

The world of Onyx disappeared, revealing the standard S.P.D. simulator. The blank white walls now surrounded them. The trainees' disguises also seemed to dissolve with the planet Onyx. The S.P.D. personnel, however, had little time to deflate from their exercise, as the voice of Kat Manx came booming through the speakers throughout the Delta Command Base.

"All Rangers report to the Command Center," Kat spoke. "Repeat, all Rangers report to the Command Center."

"That's us," Quinn said, as he headed for the doors, followed by Z, who stopped and turned back to the cadets.

"That's all of us," she called back to Meg, Casey, Duc & Boom. They perked up a bit.

"Why not make the trip a little more interesting?" Bridge proposed.

"What do you mean?" Boom asked.

"Let's race," Bridge said. "The team who gets to the Command Center last buys dinner?"

"Wait!" Duc said. "No way. You guys have powers."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Quinn asked.

"Uh, you can fly and Sophie's a robot. She can run faster than us," Meg added.

"Okay," Bridge said. "No powers."

"Wait!" Sophie said. "I can't just turn off what I am."

"Okay," Bridge said, as he thought of ideas. "You can run, Sophie, but you can't run faster than the rest of us."

"I guess I'll pull up the rear then," Sophie said, sighing.

"Deal?" Bridge said, extending a hand to Boom, who shook it.

"Deal!"

Without another word, the former B-Squad cadets went sprinting down one corridor, while the new B-Squad went running down the opposite hall.

* * *

Inside the Command Center, it was business as usual. Several SPD personnel were working at the aft stations. The familiar sound of pressed buttons and data transfers gave the place a comforting atmosphere to those who worked there often. Standing at the main control station in the middle of the room, Kat Manx and Anubis "Doggie" Cruger were in the middle of a conversation, as the doors to the Command Center came sliding open and eight figures ran through, seemingly watching each other.

"We got here first!" Duc said.

"No, you didn't," Quinn said.

"Ahem," Cruger said loud enough for all of them to hear.

All eight of them stood at attention. Bridge, Z, Quinn and Sophie stood to one side of the doors, while Boom, Casey, Meg and Duc stood to the other side.

"We'll sort this out later," Bridge whispered across at them.

"I don't even want to know," Cruger said to Kat, who turned to the cadets.

"Rangers, how did your training session go?" she asked.

"It went okay," Z spoke up first. "The new B-Squad is learning. They've got tons of potential."

"We already knew that," Cruger said, as he glanced over at the new B-Squaders. "That's why they were promoted."

"Even me?" Boom asked.

"Even you, Boom," Cruger responded. "You're dedication and commitment to S.P.D. is remarkable and I'm sure your training will follow the same pattern."

"Thank you sir. I won't let you down."

"None of us will," Casey added.

"That's part of the reason we called you here," Kat said. "Since the former B-Squad's graduation from the S.P.D. Academy, you four are now our top squad. And, as our top squad, you get certain perks."

"Like the keys to a zord or two?" Bridge inquired.

"Yes," Kat smiled. "And that's not all."

Kat walked over to one of the stations in the back of the room and picked up a tray, which held four S.P.D. Delta morphers. The design matched those of the former B-Squad, but the colors were different. Instead of the traditional black casing, with white lettering, these morphers were the opposite color. The casings were white with black lettering. Kat handed each Ranger a morpher, before returning to her standing position next to Cruger, behind the main control console in the middle of the room.

Each of the cadets took a moment to pop open their morphers, which showed graphical readings of the powers within the morphers. The members of B-Squad were a little taken aback by what they saw.

"Aren't these..." Casey said, surprised.

"The former A-Squad powers," Cruger finished her thought. "Yes."

"The former B-Squad Rangers have graduated from the Academy and the Supreme Commander has decided their powers should go along with them," Kat explained. "Their experience will be invaluable in your training and in the further protection of Earth as full-fledged S.P.D. Officers."

"I don't know about this," Meg said, boldly. "Everyone around here knows what A-Squad did. Using their powers seems wrong to me. I mean, isn't this why you abolished A-Squad in the first place?"

"Considering what former A-Squad Red, Charlie, did last year, I agree with Meg," Duc chimed in.

"These powers don't belong to A-Squad. They belong to S.P.D.," Kat said, quickly. "If you're worried about the impression it will give to everyone else, then your mind is on the wrong subject. People will judge you by who you are, not by what you look like morphed."

"Two teams of Rangers makes us stronger, especially in these stressful times. We may not be under attack, but we cannot rest on our laurels waiting for one either," Cruger said.

"Understood," Boom said, as he saw the blue ranger graphic on his morpher. "Blue's fine with me."

"Pink," Meg said. "I can deal with that."

"Green," Casey said, with a smile, as she glanced over at Quinn. "Sweet."

"Yellow works for me," Duc said, as he checked out his powers. "But wait. Does that mean there's no red?"

"Given the circumstances surrounding Charlie's escape last year and your team's experience level, we've decided that there will be no B-Squad Red Ranger," Cruger explained.

"We won't have a leader?" Boom asked, curiously.

"You want a leader?" Kat said, "Look around you. Supreme Commander Cruger is your leader. I'm your leader. The Ranger Officers over there are your leaders. Every instructor, officer and cadet at this Academy can give you valuable knowledge that will help you on the battlefield. We're all your Red Ranger."

The four members of B-Squad all listened to Kat intently and nodded, agreeing with her.

"B-Squad, you have your zord training session later," Cruger revealed. "I suggest you go get acquainted with your powers and prepare yourselves. The Delta Runners are now at your disposal. You're dismissed."

Cruger watched the four members of B-Squad exit the Command Center. His eyes then veered to the remaining Rangers. He couldn't help but notice their mood had turned a bit somber in the last few minutes. Bridge looked up at him and Kat.

"Why do I get the feeling that your Red Ranger speech was meant for us as much as for them?" he asked.

Cruger walked over to them, pacing in front of them standing at attention. He passed Sophie, then Quinn and Z and finally Bridge. He couldn't help but feel proud, as he saw Z, Quinn and Bridge wearing their new Officer's uniforms. The navy blue uniforms fitted them. Each carried a stripe that extended from their shoulder down their left arms, depicting their Ranger color. There should be five instead of three, he thought to himself. But he didn't dare say it to them.

"You look good as you are," Cruger said simply.

"I take it Sky won't be joining us anytime soon?" Z asked.

"Formal charges against Sky are expected today," Cruger announced. "Until his legal matters are cleared up, which I am certain they will be, he will be on inactive status. Officer Carson will act as your field leader, until Sky's return."

Bridge nodded in response.

"On the bright side, we do have some positive news," Kat spoke up, as she walked over, holding a familiar Delta morpher in her hand.

She handed it over to Sophie.

"What's going on?" Sophie asked, confused.

"Sophie, you've been an invaluable member of S.P.D. and you've stepped into the role that this team has needed," Cruger said.

"Of course, sir. You needed someone to fill in during training. I wouldn't refuse," Sophie replied.

"Well, now we need more from you," Cruger said. "So, as of right now we are offering you the temporary position of Pink Ranger for the Officer's team. There's too much upheaval going on with the new B-Squad to further promote one of them. They're not ready. You know the Rangers, the powers and the procedures."

"But I'm a cyborg," Sophie said. "I thought there were rules against us serving this way."

"Lucky for us, the Supreme Commander sees things a bit differently," Cruger said, with a sly nod. "Consider it a promotion until we find a permanent replacement for Syd."

"I still can't believe she really resigned," Bridge said. "All her classes were done. She should be here, as an Officer, with the rest of us and so should Sky."

"We must move forward, Rangers. We can't spend our time contemplating her decisions or Sky's," Cruger said. "We have our own work to do. Understood?"

"Understood," Bridge, Quinn, Z and Sophie answered at the same time.

"Dismissed," Cruger ordered.

The four Rangers exited the Command Center, as Kat sighed standing next to Cruger.

"This is going to be harder than I thought," she said to him.

"Like most changes, it will take time," Cruger said.

Kat nodded in agreement.

* * *

Sky Tate sat in one of Space Patrol Delta's interrogation rooms. The room was bare, with only a table and two chairs, situated on opposite sides of the table. It felt more cold than usual, much like him. Sky glanced up at the mirror on the wall in front of him. Seeing his reflection didn't help him feel any more comfortable. Knowing that the mirror was actually an observation window for watching criminals being interrogated made it that much worse. He wore the uniform of an S.P.D. Officer, but they had taken all of the privileges and duties of that title away from him since graduation. He glanced at his right shoulder. His eyes slowly traveled down the stripe of red on his uniform. Part of him wondered what it would feel like to be on patrol right now, stopping criminals. But, it was his success in stopping the most dangerous criminal he knew that led him to where he was now, under arrest.

Sky looked up as the doors to the interrogation room slid open and the President of the Galactic Council, Otto Cali, walked in. Sky stood and saluted immediately. He watched Cali walk calmly, with his hands clasped behind his back, staring at Sky from the moment the doors slid open until he was standing face-to-face with him.

"Officer Tate, you are well, I presume?" Cali asked.

"As fine as I can be, sir," Sky said, seriously.

"I understand this is a difficult time," Cali explained. "But, your actions have consequences and the Galactic Council cannot let this infraction go unnoticed."

Cali motioned for Sky to sit and he did so. Sky watched Cali with cold eyes. He was angry at his current situation and truthfully, he didn't understand why the Council that commissioned S.P.D. was ready to punish him for doing his job.

Cali reached into his pocket and pulled out an LCD pad, laying it on the table in front of Sky, who picked it up and activated it, reading the charges he was faced with, as President Cali outlined them verbally.

"To reiterate, Officer Tate, you are being charged with violation of Space Patrol Delta's code of ethics. You destroyed another life form without judgment and without containment. You showed an utter disregard for the protocols of this organization," Cali explained.

Sky couldn't help but shake his head.

"This is wrong," Sky mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"I said this is wrong," Sky said a little louder, making his words very clear.

"Choose your words carefully, Tate," Cali said, sternly. "You're already in big trouble."

"I did my job," Sky said, angrily, as he looked up at his standing superior.

"You took another human life."

"Omallix was evil and dangerous and frankly, barely human! He would have killed us. He said so. I did what had to be done!" Sky's voice raised more, as he stood, locking eyes with Cali.

"You were a cadet. You didn't have the right!" Cali said, in a surprising outburst.

"When S.P.D. gave me that morpher, I swore to protect not only this city but the people in this organization," Sky said, through gritted teeth.

"That morpher didn't come with unquestioned authority. You violated the rules and regulations set forth by the Galactic Council and now you're going to stand before the Council and explain to us why," Cali said, angrily.

The doors to the interrogation room slid open and Supreme Commander Cruger walked in. His senses tipped him off instantly, even though his keen sense of hearing had done it before he even got to the doors. He could feel the tension in the room.

"Sorry I'm late. I hope I didn't miss anything," Cruger said, attempting to calm the nerves inside that room.

"I was just outlining the charges against Officer Tate," Cali said, as he backed away from Sky a bit.

Cruger walked over to Sky, who handed him the LCD pad. Cruger looked over the charges and sighed. He had known they were coming for some time.

"I'll do whatever I have to do to prove to you and the Council that what I did was the right thing," Sky said to Cali.

"That is your burden, Mr. Tate," Cali said, as he headed for the doors, which slid open before him.

Cruger placed a gentle paw on Sky's shoulder, before following Cali into the hallway. Sky sat down, staring at the pad, knowing his future was about to be taken out of his hands as well.

Outside the interrogation room, Cruger stood before his superior. They shared a moment of silence, before Cali spoke up.

"The hearing before the Council will begin in a week or so on Andrus III. I trust you will be able to attend?" Cali said.

"Of course," Cruger said. "I'm shifting around my schedule now."

"Officer Tate will need an advocate to make his case," Cali continued. "We can have one appointed."

"No," Cruger said quickly. "Leave that to me."

Cali looked a bit surprised at Cruger's response.

"Of course, if that's what you'd prefer," Cali said. "But, know this Cruger. These charges are real and if Officer Tate is found to be guilty of these violations, he will not only be stripped of his Officer's status permanently, but he would also be facing incarceration."

"I'm aware of the stakes," Cruger said.

"Good, because he's not the only one in jeopardy here," Cali said, as he moved closer to Cruger, speaking almost in a whisper. "I haven't forgotten the conversation we had before you injected yourself into the last battle with Omallix. They say a student is only as good as his teacher. The fact that you signed off on his graduation from the Academy despite him being under arrest, is proof of that. Sky Tate may be the one accused, but so is your leadership and honestly, if he's found guilty by the Council, we may next be considering a change in S.P.D.'s leadership."

Cruger simply stared at President Cali. He knew exactly what he was saying. Cruger had been well aware that there was more at stake here than one monster's destruction. S.P.D. Earth was going to be fighting for its very survival. Without another word, Cali walked away.

* * *

"It's about time!"

Z was barely through the doorway when she heard Piggy's yell.

"Sorry. I know I'm late, Piggy," Z said.

She walked further into the Infirmary, only to see Piggy hopping off the examination bed, gingerly, using his cane to balance himself. The six beds that lined the walls were empty. Piggy was the only patient left inside the Infirmary. A part of Z felt proud of that. The fact that no more injured were here meant that S.P.D. was doing its job. It meant she was doing her job.

"For a while there, I thought you were gonna leave me cooped up in here forever," he said to her.

"Of course not," Z said. "I just had to check to make sure your room was ready. I had to pull a lot of strings to get them to let you stay here, Piggy."

"I know. I know," Piggy said. "And, I'm grateful. I've got nowhere else to go."

"Where's Dr. Sevarus?" Z said, as she looked around curiously.

"Oh he left ages ago," Piggy said, as he leaned over to whisper in Z's ear. "I think it was the company."

Z chuckled, as she extended her hand towards the doorway.

"Well, your suite awaits," she said with a smile.

"Let's get this show on the road," Piggy said, as he exited the Infirmary quickly.

As they walked through the corridors Piggy nodded to each member of S.P.D. that they passed. Z smiled with every remark he made. Deep down, she was glad to have Piggy still close. He made her feel good, since she didn't have Jack around anymore. Soon, they reached his quarters. Z keyed in the security control and showed Piggy how to use it.

"Seems pretty simple," Piggy said.

"It is," Z said. "And don't worry. These codes are changed every time someone different stays in the room. So, I'm the only one who knows your access code."

"Have a lot of thefts inside S.P.D. Headquarters?" Piggy asked, slyly.

"No. It's more for privacy than anything else," Z said, as the doors slid open.

She let Piggy enter first. She watched from the doorway, as he looked around. There was a small bedroom on the far end of the room. The main room they stood in housed a computer interface terminal, a bathroom and a large closet as well. Piggy stumbled a bit. Z went to his side, grabbing a hold of him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I think I was just startled by the beauty of the place," Piggy said. "I told you I just needed a bed, not all of this."

"I know you're used to much less, but I figured if I got you some place decent, you might consider sticking around for a while," Z admitted.

"No promises," Piggy said to her, as she helped him sit down at the desk where his terminal sat. "I really want to get myself back out there, you know."

"Of course," Z said. "But you need to take it easy for now."

"All right," Piggy said.

"Okay, I'll be back to check on you later. We can grab a late lunch," Z said, as she headed for the door.

"Sounds rotten...I like it!" Piggy exclaimed.

Z turned and smiled to Piggy before exiting his room. Once outside, she took a deep breath, a bit worried about Piggy's stumbling. She knew she was going to have to keep a close eye on him for the next few days.

Inside the quarters, Piggy turned to the computer terminal and activated it. He checked his e-mail account.

"I wonder what the old gang's up to," he said to himself, before seeing four messages from the same address.

Piggy winced a bit, as he noted the red blinking "urgent" labels on them. He opened the latest one and knew instantly who it was from. He had trouble. This was going to be dangerous, he thought and a difficult problem to talk his way out of. He didn't even need to read the entire message before a shiver ran down his spine. For the first time in weeks, Piggy wished he were still in a coma.

* * *

Elsewhere in the Delta Command Base, another couple of old friends were walking together.

"It was that tense?" Kat asked.

"Yes," Cruger said, with a sigh. "If the rest of the Council is as stubborn as President Cali, Sky's in a world of trouble."

Kat shook her head, as they walked.

"I know how he feels," Kat said.

"You?" Cruger turned his head at her curiously. "What have you got to be worried about?"

"My officer's exam," Kat explained. "I really appreciate your faith in me, Doggie, thinking that I could be the Commander of S.P.D. Earth, but it's still not a done deal unless I can pass that exam."

"Of course you'll pass. You're the smartest being I've ever met," Cruger said, as they turned a corner.

"Well, thanks, but I haven't felt so smart lately," she admitted.

"You should," Cruger said. "I know you can do this. I wouldn't have promoted you if I didn't think so. Just look at how you handled B-Squad earlier. Your response to their lack of a Red Ranger spoke volumes about your ability to handle leadership around here."

"I guess you're right."

"I know I am. Now, stop with this defeatist attitude. You still have a few more days before the exam. Keep practicing. S.P.D. needs its new commander. Besides, your old job's taken. Your replacement arrived this morning," Cruger revealed, as they arrived at the doors to Kat's laboratory.

"What?" Kat said. "Why wasn't I informed?"

"Because I was letting the new Chief of Technology get all moved in and I knew if I told you that you would be looking over his shoulder every step of the way," Cruger said, as he walked into the laboratory.

"_His_ shoulder?" Kat said, confused, as she followed him in.

Kat was instantly shocked at what she saw. Her laboratory had been completely changed around. Her desk was now at the back of the room. All of her specimens had been moved out and replaced with other equipment. Although most of the pieces were familiar to her, she never kept them around her lab before. She finally turned to see Cruger shaking hands with the new Chief of Technology. The first thing Kat noticed was that he was human. Cruger turned to her.

"Doctor Kat Manx, meet Doctor Pryce Jensen, our new Chief of Technology," Cruger introduced them.

Kat walked right up to the smiling doctor. He had unique eyes, she thought. They were a mix of blue and gray that she had never seen before. She found herself staring, without even knowing it. He extended a hand to shake. She complied.

"Welcome to S.P.D. Earth, Dr. Jensen," Kat said, with a cordial nod.

"Please, call me Pryce," he responded. "After all, I'm a big fan."

"Of mine?" Kat looked surprised.

"Of course. You can't be the best, if you don't learn from the best," Pryce said.

"I'm flattered."

"You should be," Pryce replied, with a sly grin.

Sensing the awkward silence passing between the two, Cruger looked around the lab and faked a rather loud cough.

"So, Dr. Jensen, I see you've made yourself comfortable," Cruger said.

"Yes, I travel pretty heavy, as you can see. Brought a lot with me, but I think it will all turn out to be rather useful in the long run."

"I'm sure it will. You come highly recommended," Cruger said.

"Well Galaxy Command knew what they had. The smartest mind in Space Patrol Delta is pretty valuable," Pryce said, with a cocky smile.

"_Smartest_ mind in Space Patrol Delta?" Kat repeated, curiously.

"Present company excluded of course," Pryce said, as he stared into her eyes. "My work speaks for itself and I brought along a few gems that I think you'd appreciate, Kat."

Pryce stopped himself and looked at Kat again.

"Can I call you Kat?"

"Dr. Manx will do. After all, if things go as planned, I'll be S.P.D. Earth's new commander soon," Kat replied.

"Okay. Dr. Manx it is," Pryce said, as he grabbed a silver box from his desk and brought it over to Kat & Cruger to look at.

Kat opened the box and was caught off-guard by what she saw inside. The silver and gold morpher was designed almost the same as the Omega morpher.

"It's the Nova Ranger morpher," Kat said, surprised.

"Yep. And with a few more modifications, it should be completely operational," Pryce said, with a proud smile.

"But, this technology is totally experimental. We haven't had time to study it, much like the Omega morpher," Kat said.

"You haven't had time to study it. That doesn't mean no one else has," Pryce said.

The two shared another look.

"It looks good," Cruger said.

"And, that's not all," Pryce said, as he grabbed a small remote device from his desk and pointed it at the bare wall where Kat's desk used to sit.

With the press of a button, they saw the wall was actually a massive flatscreen monitor. It lit up with the schematics of a vehicle of some sort. Kat didn't recognize the design. It looked almost like a tank, but sleeker, accented with S.P.D. technology. She admired the large wheels, knowing it would be able to travel over rough terrain. The silver vehicle, with gold accents, also included the latest weaponry, including a magnum blaster mounted on top.

"I call it the Blast Buggy," Pryce said. "It's more compact and maneuverable than the S.W.A.T. Truck."

"A fitting replacement, don't you agree?" Cruger said to Kat.

"It looks remarkable," Kat said, unable to reign in her true feelings on what she was seeing.

"Now that's what I call a glowing endorsement," Pryce said.

Kat turned to see him once again smiling at her, making her a bit self-conscious.

* * *

Inside the shared quarters of B-Squad Cadets, Meg Thurman and Casey Parker, the two long-time friends sat on their beds, both looking somber. There were no traces of the previous tenants, Z Delgado and Sydney Drew. On Meg's side of the room, the wall was lined with firearms, hung with precision by size. From her smallest, an Astro Blaster a gift from her father, a fellow collector, to the largest, which was a Zeo laser rifle model, which she had modified from its original design, based on the archive videos she had seen of the Zeo Power Rangers. Her model weaponry looked dangerous, even though none of them were usable. Her seemingly permanent roommate, Casey Parker, often said so. Above the weapons was a hand-made poster from a fallen friend that read "Mega Meg." The only hint of pink on Meg's side was the plush pink robe that hung in her open closet.

On Casey's side, things were much different. Her wall was covered by a large painted mural of the galaxy, which she had painted herself to include some of her favorite planets. Casey loved the time she spent as a space brat, traveling with her parents, who had devoted their lives to exploring just about every floating rock that could support human life and even a few that didn't. At the head of her bed, was a framed photograph of the old C-Squad, a group that would always remain a big part of her life. It was a squad that could never be recreated: Darren Miller, Quinn Gray, Casey Parker, Duc Sato and Meg Thurman. Draped over her pillow was a green S.P.D. training shirt that Quinn had given to her last year. After the events of this morning, she now knew she could wear it without anyone thinking she was his girlfriend.

At Casey's side on the bed sat one of those in the photo, Duc Sato, who was also looking a bit bored. He glanced over at Cadet Boom, the last member of B-Squad, who was sitting in a chair at Meg's desk.

"This sucks," Casey said.

"We're gonna lose, again," Duc said, somberly.

"Why are you guys giving up so easily?" Boom said.

"If I recall correctly, it was you that gave up during the last training session," Meg corrected Boom.

"That's true, but that doesn't mean I don't think we have a chance to come out on top next time around," Boom said.

"It's a zord session," Duc said. "We've barely been inside the zords. The old B-Squad fought in those zords for years, theirs and ours."

"Actually, the Delta Runners are brand new. They've barely had any time in them," Casey corrected Duc. "Not that I think that helps any, since they're pretty much the same as the old ones."

"But it does help," Boom said, as he stood up. "The Delta Runners are ours now. We can use them to our advantage."

"We just came from the zord bay, Boom," Meg said. "It's not that we don't know them inside and out. The fact is, the old B-Squad knows them better, just like they knew that simulation."

"We lost that simulation because we messed up. I tied that cloak on too tight and Casey tried to help me, instead of keeping her eye on her monster. And Duc, you were a bit overzealous in your fight with Bridge and Meg you talked trash before you delivered the goods on Sophie," Boom explained. "We messed up."

"Agreed," Duc said. "But, how does that help us now with the zords?"

"We need to stop thinking like the old B-Squad and start thinking like the new B-Squad, cuz that's what we are," Boom exclaimed.

"Boom's right," Meg said, as she stood up at his side. "We need to stop playing things their way and show them how we do it."

Duc stood up, nodding along.

"Yeah, I like the sound of that," he said.

They all looked at Casey, who was the only one still sitting. She glanced at each one of them, before smirking and standing with them.

"Boom, I knew there was a good reason to have you on our team," she said, with a smile.

"That was nothing," Boom said. "Wait until you hear my plan."

The four B-Squad cadets huddled together and began talking strategy for their next training session.

* * *

Piggy slowly made his way down the deserted street, glancing in every direction. He knew where he was supposed to meet his debt collector, but he never gave him an exact location. Piggy kept walking, as he noticed a vehicle turning the corner behind him. He straightened his posture and began to walk with more of a swagger, not wanting to arouse any suspicion. The black limousine came to a stop at his side and Piggy looked over at it, seeing his reflection in the tinted window, until it came rolling down.

"Well, look who it is?" Piggy said, with fake glee.

"Be quiet and get inside, Piggy," the green alien creature spoke back.

The doors to the limo opened and Piggy climbed in, gingerly, holding tight to his cane. The limo pulled off once the door had closed and Piggy spent the next ten minutes detailing to his alien acquaintance just why he had not repaid his long overdue debt.

"So, you see, old friend. That's why I haven't been around. Comas are a scary thing," Piggy said.

"So is my boss!" the alien replied.

His large beady eyes were a deep yellow, almost gold. He resembled a life-sized termite, with green skin, which was covered with green and brown shell-like patterns. He wore a tan covering around his neck that resembled a tunic. His animalistic upper body was in stark contrast to the way he looked below the belt. His designer white pants and black shoes looked as if they belonged to a businessman, which is what he was. He was a businessman who liked being paid.

"I understand that," Piggy said. "And you can tell him that once I'm back on my feet and S.P.D. is out of my hair, then I will make good on our deal."

"That deal has expired, Piggy," the alien responded.

"What do you mean?"

"My boss has much bigger plans for the near future," the alien businessman revealed. "And, lucky for you, he feels that you figure into those plans quite nicely."

"I don't understand," Piggy said.

The alien man handed him a folder. Piggy slowly and reluctantly opened it. Once he saw what was inside he gasped, shaking his head, closing the folder quickly.

"No," Piggy said. "I can't do this."

"Yes, you can and you will."

"You don't understand—"

"I do understand, Piggy. My boss also understands. We understand that you owe him a great deal of money. We're not stupid. If he doesn't get paid, I don't get paid. The interest has grown too high on your debts. He knows he will never be able to recoup that currency. However, that doesn't mean you get off for free," the alien explained.

"But this? This is too much," Piggy said.

"You've gotten in good with S.P.D., Piggy. Your position is more valuable to us than some false promise of repayment," the alien explained. "So, you will obey our new deal. You do this one thing for us and your debt will be expunged. If you tip of S.P.D. or reveal to them our plans, a coma will be the least of your problems."

Within minutes, Piggy found himself once again standing on the deserted street. As he watched the limo speed off, he felt the terror rising in his body. He had gotten himself into trouble many times in his long life, but this was one situation that he would not be able to escape, no matter how much he hated turning against Space Patrol Delta.

* * *

At the same time, back inside S.P.D. Headquarters, Z Delgado pressed the door chime at Piggy's quarters once more, but like the previous three attempts, there was no answer. Z thought back to Piggy's slight collapse earlier and got worried.

"Piggy," Z called out, as she pressed her ear to the doors and heard nothing.

She took a deep breath and keyed in the access code to the locking mechanism. Within seconds, the doors slid open. Z walked inside and was surprised to see Piggy wasn't there at all. She checked his bedroom and bathroom, but still nothing.

"That's strange," she said to herself. "I told him I was coming back."

As Z looked around the room, her eyes rested on Piggy's computer terminal. She saw his e-mail listings and the blinking urgent tag on a few of them. Her curiosity was growing. She clicked on one of them and was shocked by what she read. Z couldn't believe that Piggy was in this much debt and only from one source, a source that didn't look very friendly. She shook her head, wishing she couldn't believe it, but knowing Piggy, she knew it was true.

Z knew that if Piggy owed that much money to this being, he was in trouble. She stood up from the terminal and headed for the doors. Once she was in the corridor, she stopped, wondering exactly what she could do about it. As if by some cosmic coincidence, she glanced up and saw the familiar canine insignia on the S.P.D. emblem mounted on the wall, just like in every other corridor of the Delta Command Base. What she had discovered was information that Doggie would want to know, but in her mind, Z struggled. Piggy had earned the benefit of the doubt for everything he had done for S.P.D. the past two years. Z sighed.

* * *

B-Squad Cadet Boom walked down the corridor with a purpose. He didn't have much time before zord training. He turned a corner and peeked in front of and behind himself. There was no one there. He walked carefully over to the doors of the laboratory and they slid open upon his approach. Boom checked the hallway once more before ducking inside. He smiled, until he turned and was surprised to see how much the room had changed since he was last there. He was even more shocked by who he saw standing in the middle of the room, staring at the large wall screen.

"Kat! What are you doing here?" Boom asked, nervously.

Kat looked over at him.

"Boom, have you seen this?" she asked, pointing at the Blast Buggy schematics on the wall.

"Uh, no," Boom said.

"He's going to need better shocks on that thing," Kat said, frustrated. "Do you know he claims it can fly? I honestly don't see how."

"Who are we talking about?" Boom looked confused.

"Pryce!" Kat said, before catching herself. "I mean, Dr. Jensen. He's our new Chief of Technology."

"Oh," Boom said. "Your replacement."

"Barely," Kat mumbled. "He didn't even give me a chance to move my things out myself."

"I can understand why you'd be upset by that."

Boom and Kat both turned to see Dr. Pryce Jensen standing at the doorway, smiling.

"I'm not upset!" Kat said quickly.

"It certainly sounds like you're upset," Pryce said, as he walked further in.

"Well, I guess you don't know me very well then," Kat said, as she walked quickly out of the lab.

"Trust me," Boom said to Pryce, once Kat was gone. "You don't wanna know Kat when she's upset...and she was upset."

Pryce smiled, as he extended a hand.

"I'm Dr. Pryce Jensen. Aren't you a little old to be a cadet?" he said, admiring Boom's blue cadet's uniform.

Boom shook his hand.

"Oh, I'm Boom, Cadet Boom. Let's just say I was held back a couple years, but I'm making up for it now. You wouldn't believe the year I've had," Boom started chattering on, until he noticed Pryce was pulling his hand away and grunting a bit.

"Right. It's nice to meet you Cadet Boom," Pryce said.

"You too. I knew Kat wasn't in the lab much anymore with her promotion and everything. I wasn't actually expecting anyone to be here," Boom said.

"What's going on?"

"Well, you see B-Squad has a zord training session coming up and we've come up with a plan that we think will ensure our victory. But, we need a little help with preparations," Boom explained.

"What kind of help?" Pryce asked, smiling slyly.

He was always up for a good trap and it wouldn't hurt to get to know S.P.D.'s cadets. Boom smiled back. He had the feeling he was going to like the new Chief of Technology, almost as much as he liked the previous one.

* * *

Sky stood inside his quarters, staring out the window. The view from his new room wasn't extremely interesting. His window faced the northern side of Newtech City. For miles all he saw was vacant space. Most of the clean up from the firewall massacre had been cleaned up. But, the city was still slow to rebuild what had been lost. It was then that Sky thought of everything he had lost since then: friends, family and even his career was now hanging in the balance. He heard his door chime behind him and he turned to face the doors.

"Come in," Sky said somberly.

The doors slid apart and Sky saw Bridge, Z and Quinn enter. They all flashed him cordial smiles that barely masked their sadness over his current situation.

"How you holding up?" Bridge asked.

"Not well," Sky said. "They're charging me with violating the S.P.D. code of ethics."

"That's harsh," Z said.

"Well, I expected worse," Sky said. "They could have tossed in a murder charge if they wanted to."

"Maybe that's a good thing," Bridge said. "They don't think you're guilty of murder, at least."

Bridge looked around the room, hoping that his words might cheer someone up, but he had failed.

"I'm sorry, Sky," Bridge said finally.

"It's not your fault, Bridge," Sky said. "At least I got to wear the uniform for a little while."

"Don't be so quick to give up," Z said. "You could still beat this."

Sky glanced over at his half-brother, Quinn, who hadn't said one word since arriving in his room.

"What about you? Anything to add?" Sky asked.

"They can't think you willingly went against S.P.D. regulations," Quinn said, showing his support for a man he never got along with before.

"They do and you know what? I'm not sure I care what they think anymore," Sky said.

"I don't like the sound of that," Bridge said.

"They can't change my mind and neither can you guys. Thanks for the pep talk, but I know you guys have real duties you need to get to and I've got packing to do. I don't need anyone to hold my hand," Sky said.

The trio of Rangers headed for the doors. Bridge turned back for a moment.

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know," Bridge said with a smile, until he realized he was responding to Sky's hand-holding comment. "That didn't come out the way I wanted it to."

Quinn and Z chuckled, as they pushed Bridge out the doors.

"We'll try to be there for as much of the hearing as we can," Quinn said.

"It's okay," Sky said. "I don't want you neglecting your duties. Then, you'll be the ones facing a hearing."

Quinn nodded and exited. Z wasn't far behind.

"Z," Sky called out. "Can you hold on a minute?"

Z stayed put, as the doors slid closed behind Bridge and Quinn. She looked down at the floor. She was dealing with her own problems involving Piggy, but she had a feeling that she knew what Sky wanted to discuss.

"I haven't heard from her, Sky," Z said.

"Really?" Sky asked.

Z turned back to Sky, giving him an unfortunate look.

"I'm sorry. But, the last I heard from Syd was in the letter she left me, which basically just asked me to pack up her things. She said she'd send for them, but she didn't," Z said.

"She didn't ask you to send them to her parents?"

"No. She asked me to hold onto everything until she got in touch with me. It didn't sound like she was going to her parents. Once we moved out of the cadet quarters after graduation, I put her things in storage. It's all still there," Z said.

"It's my fault that she's gone," Sky said, sadly.

"The only person responsible for Syd leaving is Syd," Z said to him, as she headed for the doors once again. "Remember that. We're all responsible for the things we do. We're not kids anymore, Sky."

Sky nodded, as Z exited. She sighed and turned to walk down the corridor, only to see Quinn Gray standing there.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. Don't worry. I think Sky's gonna be okay. It's just gonna take time," Z replied.

"I wasn't talking about Sky. I was talking about you," Quinn said. "I don't know, but you seem a little distant today."

"Oh, it's just normal stress. That's all," Z said, lying to him.

She didn't want to discuss Piggy or the e-mail she discovered just yet. After all, she hadn't figured out what she was going to do about it yet.

"You sure?" Quinn asked, looking curious. "Look, I joined this team because Jack left S.P.D., and I know that doesn't make me his replacement with you guys, by any means. But, if you ever need to talk, just know I'm willing to listen."

"Thanks, Quinn. I'll keep that in mind," Z said, with a smile.

Back inside, Sky walked back over to the window and glanced out at the desolation of northern Newtech City. He knew Syd was out there somewhere, but like his own future, he had no control over what could happen. As he stared out the window, he saw five familiar vehicles speeding away from S.P.D. Headquarters. Sky sighed, as he thought back to his time in the Delta Runners, when his team whole.

* * *

Inside the speeding green and white Delta Runner 3, B-Squad Cadet Casey Parker was morphed for the first time. Through her tinted helmet, she glanced around the cockpit and it was starting to sink in that she was a Power Ranger. She grabbed tight to the wheel in front of her and sped the zord up.

A few feet ahead of her, two more of the Delta Runners were on their way. Unlike most instances, there were no sirens blaring. They weren't out on an emergency. Delta Runners 4 and 5, however, were going at top speed, as if they were headed for trouble. Inside the cockpit of Delta Runner 5, B-Squad's Pink Ranger, Meg Thurman had a big smile on her face, which might have caught her friends off-guard, since it was a rarity. Luckily, she thought, her helmet shielded her expressions from the outside world.

"This baby drives pretty good," she shouted into the communications panel. "I see why Syd liked it."

"Same here," Duc Sato called out from the yellow and white Delta Runner 4.

Inside, the Yellow Ranger sped up a bit more, matching the Pink Ranger's speed, only to watch her go even faster.

"Do you always have to be the best?" Duc yelled.

"I thought that was the point!" Meg shouted.

Up above them, the flying blue Delta Runner 2 watched, as he glided through the air with ease. Behind the controls, sat B-Squad's newest member, Cadet Boom, morphed in blue. He shook his head. He had been inside these zords many times during his tenure as a gadget tester, but he had never flown in this zord, like this, as a Ranger. Beneath his helmet, a small tear fell from Boom's eye. As he felt it slide down his cheek, he smiled.

"It's awesome," Boom said, quietly, not sure if any of his teammates even heard him.

He peeked out the front window, as his zord hovered forward. Past the white hood and the black 2 plastered on it, he saw the red Delta Runner 1 speeding ahead of them all, operated by remote. He wondered if his plan would work since they weren't in control of all of the zords.

"Boom, you okay up there?"

He heard the voice of Casey Parker come through his communications console. Boom smiled beneath his helmet.

"Doing just fine," Boom said.

At that moment his zord was blasted from behind, causing the craft to start spiraling downward.

"Well, I was!" Boom shouted.

He glanced out the cockpit and saw his zord heading straight down towards Delta Runner 1. He pulled up at the last minute and regained full control of the zord.

"Something fired on me!" Boom yelled to his teammates.

Inside the cockpit of Delta Runner 4, Duc checked his readings.

"I'm picking up five more zords on our tails!" he yelled in to his communications panel, as his zord was hit as well.

All four of the Delta Runners rocked, as the familiar forms of the five S.W.A.T. Flyers came flying over heard, passing them all.

"Consider your training session started!" Bridge yelled from inside S.W.A.T. Flyer 2. "You know what they say...S.P.D. Emergency!"

"You're gonna pay for that," Cadet Thurman yelled from inside the pink Delta Runner.

"You're welcome to try," Z responded from inside S.W.A.T. Flyer 4. "Sophie, how's she flying over there?"

"Just great," Sophie said, as she glanced out her cockpit window, morphed for the first time herself. "The weapons systems certainly work."

From inside the green Delta Runner, Cadet Casey Parker noticed their attackers were coming around for another pass.

"We've got trouble coming, guys!" Casey shouted.

"Evasive maneuvers, now!" Duc yelled.

As the four Delta Runners on the ground swerved through bolts of laser fire coming directly at them, Boom felt like he was flying through an asteroid field, as he tried to dodge the five Flyers speeding past him, head on. He knew it was almost time to implement their plan, if they wanted to win this round.

"Guys, I think it's time to bring them together!" Boom called out to his teammates.

* * *

Inside his Officer's quarters, Sky looked around. The room was pretty barren. He didn't bother to settle in, knowing that he was being charged by the Galactic Council, sooner or later. Almost all of his things were in boxes. A navy blue duffel bag sat on his bed, with some of the clothes that he had packed to take with him to Andrus III for his hearing. In the back of his mind, Sky wondered if he'd ever return to this room after his departure.

He shook his head, as he sat on the bed and sighed. He reached over to the nightstand on the side of the bed and pressed a button, causing the top drawer to slid open. The first thing he saw was the loose picture of his father. Sky couldn't help the fact that he still looked at him with disdain over the affair he had with another woman. But, his own relationship with Sydney Drew helped him understand it, a bit.

There I go again, he thought to himself. He didn't want to think of her now, but he had. He saw something else in the top drawer that made him do it again. He picked up another photograph. This one he had taken himself the day he had taken Syd to ride an elephant, after she had given up her stuffed elephant, Peanuts. Sky couldn't help but smile as he saw the smile on Syd's face, as she sat on top of the large elephant. He took a deep breath, unable to shake the sound of her laughter. He wanted to hear it again, but he feared it was too late. It was another bridge burned beneath him.

He packed away both photos in his duffel bag, before he even realized that he had been trying not to think about either of them. But, he was on heading into unfamiliar territory and for the first time in his life, Sky wanted familiarity.

* * *

Elsewhere inside S.P.D. Headquarters, Piggy walked slowly into his quarters, as he kept replaying his last conversation in his head. That was the worst limo ride he'd ever taken and being back inside Space Patrol Delta made him feel even worse. Piggy threw his cane across the room in anger and hobbled over to the chair in front of his desk. There was no way he could do what he had been ordered to do, no way he could betray those that had come to see him as a friend. They trusted him. But there was more at stake for Piggy than trust, a commodity he had thrown away so easily in the past.

He stared at the screen and the two urgent blinking e-mails. It was then that he remembered there were four originally. He had opened one himself, which left three still blinking on the terminal when he left. Now, there were only two. Someone had accessed one of the e-mails.

"Oh no," Piggy said, in a hushed whisper. "But, who?"

It was then that Piggy's keen sense of smell kicked in. Years of living in trash and finding a treasure or two had honed that sense. Piggy smelled her scent. It was Z. But she couldn't have, he thought to himself, as he remembered locking his quarters after leaving. It was then, that he remembered his earlier conversation with her.

_" These codes are changed every time someone different stays in the room. So, I'm the only one who knows your access code," she had said._

_"Okay, I'll be back to check on you later. We can grab a late lunch," Z had said to him. _

That was hours ago. Had she returned while he was gone? She must have, Piggy thought to himself. He closed his eyes slowly, knowing that he was in big trouble. Z may have discovered the truth all on her own, but if his debt collectors discovered this they would think he ratted them out. Piggy's mind couldn't help but veer back to the hideous chore they wanted him to carry out against Space Patrol Delta. He had thought he couldn't do it, but now he might not have any choice.

* * *

Back on the battlefield, the Delta Runners were quickly transforming, linking together to form a formidable fighting force. Now, joined in the same zord, the four B-Squad Rangers felt more secure.

"Delta Squad Megazord, Mark 2!" they called out together, as they pulled the laser blaster from the retractable holster at the zord's ankle.

The S.W.A.T. Flyers didn't waste any time and immediately began firing at the Megazord, which rolled out of the way in one fluid motion and began firing back with its blaster. The five S.W.A.T. Flyers maneuvered their way through the laser beams, barely missing them.

"We need them to transform or this isn't gonna work," Duc said from inside the yellow cockpit.

"I think it's time for some S.W.A.T. Megazord action," Bridge yelled to his fellow Rangers from inside S.W.A.T. Flyer 2.

"Right!" they all yelled in unison.

"Right on cue," Casey said, beneath her helmet inside the Delta Squad Megazord.

The four B-Squad Rangers watched closely, as the S.W.A.T. Flyers began to transform in front of them.

"Get ready..." Meg said, lowly.

"Almost..." Boom added.

They watched S.W.A.T. Flyer 2 transform and attach to S.W.A.T. Flyer 1, forming the upper body of the S.W.A.T. Megazord. Then, S.W.A.T. Flyers 4 and 5 attached to S.W.A.T. Flyer 3, forming the lower body of the zord. As the two halves got closer to linking up, they all watched with breathless anticipation. The zords were still floating in the air. As they joined at the waist, Bridge noticed something off in his controls.

"Something's wrong," Bridge said. "I'm not getting a connection."

"Agreed," Quinn chimed in from his zord. "I think the gears are sliding too much."

"We're not getting any traction!" Sophie shouted, as she worked her controls.

"This is it, guys!" Boom shouted. "Fire!"

From the ground, the Delta Squad Megazord Mark 2 fired its blaster, but instead of a laser beam and grappler shot out, followed by an extremely long cord. The grappler wrapped around the lower body of the S.W.A.T. Megazord, allowing the DSM to yank it right out of the air. The attached S.W.A.T. Flyers 3, 4 & 5, crashed to the ground below.

"Hey!" Bridge yelled. "No fair!"

"You said we should get to know our enemy!" Duc yelled from the Delta Squad Megazord.

A bit surprised by the development, Bridge took control of the upper body of the S.W.A.T. Megazord and flew it towards the Delta Squad Megazord on a collision course. The half-Megazord crashed into the Delta Squad Megazord, sending the bigger one down to the ground.

"He's latched onto us!" Casey yelled. "We have to get him off."

"We have to hurry too, before the others get back up," Meg shouted.

"Yeah, that extra oil I used to grease their gears will be dissipated soon," Boom announced.

"Then, let's do this!" Duc yelled, as he punched the controls in his cockpit, causing the right arm of the DSM to grab at the wings of the S.W.A.T. Flyer.

The shifting weight allowed the DSM to get to its feet.

"I'm with you, Duc," Meg chimed in, as she activated her cockpit controls, causing the left arm of the zord to grab at the other wing, pushing the S.W.A.T. Megazord's upper half away from the chest of the DSM.

Inside his cockpit, Bridge was struggling to keep control of both the attached zords, as he was thrown about in his cockpit.

"Whoa!"

The Delta Squad Megazord finally tossed the upper half of the S.W.A.T. Megazord to the ground. At its side, the lower half of the S.W.A.T. Megazord seemed to be walking in their direction.

"We've got company," Casey called out.

"I got it," Boom said, as he pushed in another command from his cockpit.

The Delta Squad Megazord pulled out its containment cuffs, with one hand and fired at the lower half of the S.W.A.T. Megazord with the blaster in its other hand. The S.W.A.T. Megazord's legs jumped away and as they tried to get up again, Quinn, Z and Sophie found their zords trapped inside one half of the cuffs. Within moments, the upper body of the S.W.A.T. Megazord was caught in the other side.

"Training session over!" Bridge grunted from inside his cockpit.

"Good job, B-Squad," Quinn shouted.

"It was a bit unorthodox, which I like," Bridge added.

"Congrats, B-Squad. You did it," Z said.

"Good for them," Sophie added. "But, I have to say my first zord fight as Pink Ranger went a lot worse than I expected!"

Her teammates chuckled at her words, as the Delta Squad Megazord stood tall in the approaching sunset.

* * *

About an hour later, Z found herself in one of her favorite places on the grounds of Space Patrol Delta Headquarters. She looked out at the setting sun from the roof of the Delta Command Base, as a gentle breeze washed over her face. A lot of things happened here. It had only been a few weeks since she was up here with Sam, looking at the broken plaque that memorialized her best friend after his death. Z remembered saying goodbye to Jack finally in this spot. She was afraid that before the day was completely done she would be losing another friend.

She heard the creak of the rooftop hatch open behind her. She took a deep breath, knowing exactly who it was. She had, after all, left Piggy a note, asking him to meet her up here. She closed her eyes for another moment, as she thought back to the e-mail she had read that was intended for Piggy. She turned to see Piggy was standing right in front of her.

"What are you doing all the way up here?" Piggy said, refusing to look over the edge. "I'm not big on heights."

"Piggy, you're my friend. You know that right?" Z said. "I've never said the words to you, but you know it's true."

"Of course," Piggy said.

"You're supposed to be able to go to friends, talk to them when you're in trouble," Z explained. "I know it can be hard and difficult to do, but we do it. Jack was that for me."

"I know," Piggy said, somberly. "Look, Z, I know you have these ideas about me and what I am or what I'm not. I'm sorry but I can't be some kind of Jack replacement. I'll never be the kind of man he was."

"You know you're the second person today whose mentioned me having a replacement for Jack," Z said, a bit more sternly. "I don't need a replacement for Jack, because Jack is always going to be with me. Having you hear made me feel a little better, until I saw what I saw on that computer."

"Z, you don't understand," Piggy started. "Debts aren't so easily fixed."

"I know that, Piggy. You forget. I lived just like you did for years. I know how tough it is out there, which is why I don't understand why you didn't come to me," Z said.

"I couldn't."

"Well, I called you up here to tell you that I'm coming to you first, before I talk to Cruger about this," Z said, as she turned away from Piggy and peered over the edge of the rooftop. "These people you're dealing with are dangerous and you being involved with them is only going to lead to trouble."

"You have no idea," Piggy said quietly, standing behind her.

"But, if you cooperate with us, we may be able to bring them down before they do anymore damage," Z said, as she looked down, listening intently to Piggy's breathing.

She hoped that she might be getting through to him. Z knew that breaking Piggy away from criminal behavior was like pulling teeth. But she was prepared to do what she had to do. Little did Z know that Piggy was prepared to do what he had to do as well.

"It's too late," Piggy said, flatly.

With her back still turned to him, Z looked confused. She turned to Piggy, showing him her look.

"What?" she said.

"I'm sorry," Piggy said.

In a matter of seconds, Piggy reached out with both hands and pushed Z backward off the rooftop. His eyes closed, as he heard her piercing scream, while she plummeted to the ground, eventually landing on the concrete below. The blood-curdling sound of her body hitting the ground was something he knew he would never forget. Piggy had been holding his eyes closed tightly, but finally forced himself to look. When he peered over the edge, he saw the body of Z Delgado, crumbled on the ground. Her head, arms and legs lay in directions that soured his stomach.

Without any further hesitation, Piggy walked back to the hatch on the roof. In his younger days, he might have run, but this was a sin for which he knew he would never be forgiven and deep down Piggy didn't want to be forgiven.

* * *

"I don't think I can do this," Quinn said, somberly, as he stood outside the doors.

Bridge turned to his comrade.

"We have to tell him. He's going to find out sooner or later. Believe me. This is just as hard for me as it is for you," Bridge said, sadly.

Quinn nodded. The two stepped forward, causing the doors to slid open. Inside the room, they found Sky Tate sitting on the side of his bed, already looking defeated. He looked up at them and instantly he knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" Sky asked.

Bridge took a deep breath, but every time he seemed about to say the words, his mouth simply closed. It was a rare occasion when Bridge found himself speechless and this was one of them. The shock of the situation had finally caught up with him. Bridge turned away from Sky and walked over to one of the bare walls and leaned against it, staring at the floor. Quinn watched him and knew it was up to him. He looked into Sky's eyes.

"Z's dead," Quinn said simply.

"What?" Sky said, looking completely dumbfounded. "How?"

"She fell off the roof of the base," Quinn revealed.

"No," Sky said, as his emotions began to rise. "She can't be."

"I'm sorry," Quinn said, as he looked back at Bridge and then again at Sky, knowing what they had to be going through to receive another hit like this.

Sky stood up and walked over to Bridge. He leaned on the wall next to him and joined Bridge in staring at the floor.

"This can't be happening," Bridge said.

"Syd," Sky said.

"What?" Bridge asked, as he looked up at Sky.

"Someone's going to have to tell Syd about Z," Sky said. "She's going to be devastated."

Bridge nodded in agreement. All three of the male Officers lowered their heads to the floor. None of them knew how to find Syd. At this moment, none of them knew how to deal with their own emotions. Losing another member of Space Patrol Delta was something they never imagined.

* * *

In Newtech City, there was an area that no upstanding citizen would be caught dead in. Eastern Newtech was considered the underbelly of the city. It was located in the shadows, haunted in the daylight and alive only during the night. This is where the scum of the city thrived, forgotten by the city's main populace. Some of the visitors to Eastern Newtech were criminals. Some were forgotten citizens looking to drown their sorrows and some were shady businessmen, looking for the next nefarious deal to make.

On this night, some were lured by the promise of music.

Inside the lounge, called Purgatory, a perfect voice was doing just that, luring bodies into the darkness. The lounge was packed on this night. Some came for a smoke, others for a drink, but by the end of the night, they had all fallen in love with the melodious voice coming from Purgatory's stage.

Her golden locks seemed perfect, untouched, untainted. Her eyes, however, conveyed deep emotions. Despair, sadness and vitality, all at once. None in that lounge had ever heard the voice of Syren Dean. But now that they had, they would be changed forever. For that was the power of her music. Each note invaded their souls. One soul in the darkened lounge enjoyed Syren's song more than any other. He watched from the back of the lounge, completely in the shadows, with his arm crossed, never missing a note.

On the stage, the spotlight was on her and no one else. She had this audience in the palm of her hands, she thought, as she continued her soothing song. That was what she wanted. She couldn't see their faces in the darkness but in that moment, she felt more like herself. It was the part of her that enjoyed being the center of attention. It was the part of her that she had missed. The part of her that was completely Sydney Drew.

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Trials"**  
As Sky's hearing approaches, Cruger enlists the help of  
an unlikely advocate. Syd settles in at Purgatory, gaining  
the attention of its owner, Barrett Van Tigue. Despite the recent loss  
of Z, Cruger sends the Rangers to Triforia, to investigate a  
recent incident involving Triforia's S.P.D. branch. Kat  
prepares for her Officer's test, which has her new promotion  
in jeopardy. Sky gets an unexpected visitor.


	2. Trials

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"TRIALS"**

"The fire wave will reach us in two minutes!"

The alarms were loud inside the Command Center, as Kat heard Ghiren's voice yelling over them in order for her to hear him. She stood nervously at the main control station in the middle of the Command Center, as she watched the station's holographic display showing her the S.P.D. Rangers racing towards the Command Center and away from the approaching firewall.

It was just like before, she thought. But, she had also known from her previous attempt that it was also different. She contemplated her upcoming move, as she heard the other technicians in the room shouting out the status of everything. Niyako, the pint-sized Kayoie technician was updating her with information from the Rangers as she talked to them through her communications station. Ghiren, the tall green-skinned alien from the planet Ligou, was keeping his eyes on the approaching fire wave from the tracking station. Other technicians were walking about, talking amongst themselves about the status of the Delta Command Base's systems and the incoming influx of citizens who were trying to escape the wave.

At her left, Kat glanced at Doctor Pryce Jensen. He was different too, Kat thought to herself. She remembered how she handled this situation when she was in his position. But here and now, things didn't go as they did in the real world. Kat heard the succession of beeps coming from the console where Pryce was working. She closed her eyes gently, trying to keep one step ahead.

"We've got a problem," Pryce yelled to her.

"What is it?" Kat said, as if she didn't know what was coming.

"The shield systems for the Delta Command Base are malfunctioning," Pryce said, looking confused. "Give me an extra minute or two to get them working."

"The wave will reach us in 72 seconds," Ghiren shouted. "It will reach the Rangers in 60."

"They're not going to make it," Kat mumbled to herself. She had run into this problem before. She failed then. She couldn't do it again.

Kat gently pushed Pryce away from the control console. He stood, looking confused at her actions, as she began pressing buttons at the controls.

"I can get the shield systems working quicker than you can," Kat said to him. "You activate Delta Command Crawler mode."

Pryce was confused at the order for a split second before he headed to the appropriate station and input the commands. As the Delta Command Base transformed into crawler mode, Kat worked her hands swiftly across the controls, finding the breach in the shield systems and repairing it, controlling the safety drones that were stationed in that area to get the job done.

"Delta Command Crawler activated," Pryce yelled from a nearby station.

"Move us closer to the Rangers. I'll have the shields up in half a minute," Kat yelled to him.

She was going to beat this thing. She knew it. Kat was running out of time, especially since moving the base closer to the Rangers also meant moving it closer to the firewall.

"Fire wave impact in 32 seconds," Ghiren yelled out.

"The Rangers are calling in," Niyako yelled to Kat. "They want to know what we're doing."

"Tell them to keep heading towards us!" Kat yelled back. "We're not going to lose them."

Within a matter of seconds, the Delta Command Crawler was in position, closer to the wave than before. As her fingers keyed in the final commands to the repair drones, Kat glanced at the holographic display, seeing the patrol jeep, two patrol cycles and the Shadow ATV speeding into the range of the shields. The wave was seconds behind them. She activated the shields at the last moment, protecting both the Rangers and the Delta Command Base. Kat breathed a sigh of relief, as she saw the firewall pass over the base, leaving them all unharmed.

She smiled a bit, knowing she had done it. She had completed her mission. She looked around, about to congratulate her crew when she noticed them all staring at her, strangely. She looked from Pryce to Niyako to Ghiren to the others.

"What?" she said aloud.

"The fire wave..." Pryce spoke solemnly. "It killed all of the citizens that were still outside the base when the crawler moved to help the Rangers."

Kat winced, as she realized she had chosen wrong again. Within seconds, the Command Center around her disappeared, replaced by the S.P.D. simulator room. Pryce, Ghiren and Niyako were gone as well. Only Kat was left behind, standing in the middle of the room, waiting for the inevitable.

The doors to the simulator opened and Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger stepped inside, carrying a LCD pad. He shook his head.

"You failed...again."

Kat let out a deep defeated sigh.

"I don't know what I'm doing wrong," Kat said, frustrated. "This is the second time through and I still failed. The first time I tried forming the Delta Command Megazord to shield the Rangers and the citizens from the wave, but that destroyed the Base and me and everyone inside."

"I can tell you that sacrificing the commander is never the right approach, but I can't tell you what you're missing," Cruger said. "That would be cheating. But, you can do this Kat. The correct answer is there."

"Maybe I can't do it," Kat said. "I just can't seem to figure out the Command Officer's Exam."

"You've already passed the written portion. The simulation isn't as hard as you think it is. After all, I passed it," Cruger said with a smirk. "You just need to stop thinking like the Chief of Technology and start thinking like a Commander. I have a meeting with the Officers to get to."

Cruger handed Kat the LCD pad with her results on it. She looked at them briefly, before glancing up at Cruger walking away.

"I guess I only have one more chance," Kat said, knowing that any candidate only got three opportunities to beat the simulation.

Cruger stopped as the doors slid open in front of him. He looked back at her and nodded.

"Trust me. The good ones only need one chance," Cruger said. "Just remember everyone has their job. Yours is Commander."

Kat nodded, as Doggie exited. She let out another sigh as she looked around the room at the lonely white walls. What was she not getting?

* * *

Deep on the East Side of Newtech City, it was daylight. This time of day was never very prosperous or busy in Eastern Newtech. For those of weak will and shady motives, the sunlight was a hindrance. It was always easier to plot the next crime or wallow in misery in the shadows of darkness. But, inside the Purgatory lounge, behind the stage, the bar and the main hosting area, some business was taking place.

Syren Dean found herself sitting across from Barrett Van Tigue, the owner of the lounge, who had been singing her praises since she walked into his office. She listened closely and nodded along with each comment, never replying. Instead, she accepted each compliment with a petite smile.

Barrett wasn't the average businessman. He was younger than most, appearing to be in his late twenties. His dark blonde hair was short, but she could tell it was growing quickly. His narrow eyes and thin lips gave nothing away about his personality. His well-groomed appearance gave away that he didn't do much manual labor. He wore a casual suit, black pants and a black blazer. She was surprised by the black shirt he wore underneath as well. She had also noticed him wearing all black the night of her performance, as he stood in the back of the lounge, listening, with his arms crossed. His choice of attire let her know that he wasn't as nice as the smile he conveyed to her in this meeting.

"I don't usually do this," Barrett said, as he was writing on a small piece of paper, which Syren could tell was a check.

"What's that?" she asked with the first words she had said in a while.

"Pay my employees advances," he said with a smile, as he stood up, with the check in hand.

"So, we have a deal then?" Syren said.

Her eyes followed his every step, as he approached her. He couldn't help but read the name he had agreed to pay on the check.

"Syren Dean? That can't be your real name," Barrett said, slyly.

"I never said it was," she responded coyly. "But don't worry. The check will do just fine. I had it legally changed years ago. I even have the driver's license to prove it."

"So what is your real name?" he asked, curiously.

"You'll just have to get to know me better to find out," she said with a smile.

"I'm prepared to hire you on a trial basis," Barrett said, with a smirk. "You made me a lot of money. I haven't seen Purgatory that packed in a while. I liked it."

"Well, that is what I do," Syren said, with an engaging smile, as she stood up and accepted the check.

"So, you'll be expected to perform three nights a week. Tuesdays, Thursdays and an encore on Friday," Barrett explained.

"I can handle that," she said, as her eyes met his.

"Three songs a night," Barrett said, mentally recalling the contract he was about to have her sign. "You'll have Sundays and Mondays off. I, however, will expect you here on Saturdays to mingle with guests and V.I.P.'s. It'll help build up a relationship between you and my guests and I think it will help bring them in more on the days when you're performing."

"What about Wednesdays?" she asked.

"The club is never open on Wednesdays," Barrett said quietly. "Ever."

She noticed his eyes got a little shifty, as if something about that day bothered him. She simply nodded, knowing when not to push.

"Well, my only condition is that I choose the songs and the clothes," Syren Dean. "Those would be my specialties."

"I'm sure you have more than just the two," Barrett said, as he stepped a bit closer to her, glancing at her beauty. "You haven't said much about yourself. I'm not used to having employees be so quiet."

"Well, I guess we'll just have to sign that contract then," Syren said, with a sly smile. "With me around more often, I'm sure we'll have no choice but to get to know each other."

"Let's not waste time then," Barrett said as he reached across his desk and retrieved the contract and a pen.

He placed it on their side of the desk. Syren bent over slightly past him. Barrett couldn't help but take in the view. But like most smart men, he was never overt about it. Sydney Drew signed what was not her true name and with that, Syren Dean was an official employee of Purgatory. She regained her posture and looked back at Barrett.

"What about the apartment?" she asked.

"I almost forgot," he said, as he grabbed another piece of paper for her to sign. "There's the lease. You'll have complete access to the apartment above the lounge. You've already seen it so you know you have a bathroom, kitchen, everything you'll need."

"Well, I'm sure you can tell that I'm not one for cooking," Syren said with a smile. "But, I do like the digs. As a matter of fact, I'm sure I'm going to enjoy all that Purgatory has to offer."

"Well, thanks to you, we now have Syren Dean to offer, so I'm sure it will be lucrative for both of us," Barrett said, as he opened the door to his office.

Syd walked out into the hallway, as her new boss stood on his side of the doorway. Their eyes met again. It was a gaze that she didn't want to hold too long, but she knew she had to follow his lead.

"I think you're right," she said with a smile.

Syd and Barrett shared a chuckle, as another employee was turning the corner down the far hallway. Seeing the two laughing together stopped her in her tracks. She stayed where she was, watching them, out of their sight. She saw the blond singer extend her hand, which Barrett took in his own and shook. Her eyes narrowed on Purgatory's new live act. She didn't like what she saw.

* * *

Loss. It had become an all-too-common word for Earth's Space Patrol Delta. On this day, it was a word that Bridge found himself thinking of often, much like the thoughts concerning Z Delgado. For Bridge, that wasn't a good thing because thoughts of Z brought on thoughts of Sky, Jack and Syd as well. Bridge's mind found it hard to cope with that kind of stress.

Inside the Commander's Office, Bridge found himself thinking of Z again. The barren room held only a single desk and chair, where Doggie Cruger currently sat. The office was meant to be decorated by the commander who served there. Cruger was only using it temporarily until Commander Silverback's replacement took office.

In front of the desk, Bridge stood with his arms behind his back, next to Quinn Gray and Sophie, who shared his pose. Behind them was the familiar emblem of Space Patrol Delta. In front of them, Cruger stared solemnly. Bridge was unprepared for what his Supreme Commander was about to say.

"I know this has been a difficult few days for everyone," Cruger explained. "The loss of Officer Delgado was truly unexpected. But her suicide—"

Bridge was shocked. He cut Cruger off.

"Z did NOT commit suicide!" Bridge shouted. "She wouldn't."

"Bridge, at this point, all signs point to suicide," Cruger said. "Z had been struggling with her emotions ever since Jack died."

"That doesn't mean she killed herself," Bridge said. "If you had just let me get close to her at the crime scene I could've used my powers—"

"Bridge, it was difficult enough for me to be there. I didn't want you further traumatized," Cruger said.

"But, if you let me investigate—"

"No," Cruger said sternly. "There's too much conflict of interest. The investigation into Z's death is still open. A group of more experienced officers are conducting it. While they do their job, I need you all to do yours."

"Sir, I can understand your position," Quinn interjected. "But, Z was one of us. Frankly, she welcomed me into this team when some wanted me out of S.P.D. all together. You can't just expect us to forget about it."

"I don't think anyone will forget," Cruger said, more sternly, as he stood up from his chair. "I will never forget seeing Z's face lying there on the concrete. I will never forget seeing her lifeless eyes. Forgive me for trying to spare you all the pain. I don't want you to forget, but you have to move on. In an effort to do that, I'm sending the three of you on a special mission."

"A special mission?" Sophie asked.

"Yes. In the last weeks of our conflict with Omallix, several incidents popped up across S.P.D.'s jurisdiction. These issues remain unsolved. I need someone I can trust to look into things and I trust you, my Rangers," Cruger explained.

"What incidents?" Bridge asked, letting his curiosity override his anger.

"The first incident occurred with a Barconian convoy which was traveling to Triforia, transporting food that they intended to sell there," Cruger said. "They were attacked by unknown forces. Triforia's branch of S.P.D. was supposed to respond, but due to some technical difficulties they got the call too late. The Barconian crew was killed and the cargo was stolen."

"So you want us to try to find out who attacked the Barconians?" Quinn asked.

"No. I want you all to go to Triforia and investigate their technical problems. They've made some equipment requests that I've granted. I felt that having Bridge & Sophie there, given their technical backgrounds could not only expedite the process, but allow you all to do a little independent investigating into why Triforia's S.P.D. forces didn't respond in a more timely manner," Cruger said. "As you can imagine, the Barconians are not happy about this and neither is their representative on the Galactic Council."

"I'm sure the same goes for Representative Trecineas," Bridge surmised, as he remembered that Triforia also had a representative on the six-member council.

"Yes, there's some conflict on the Galactic Council because of this. And with Sky's hearing coming up before the council, I think that getting some answers might help," Cruger said.

"I still don't like leaving Earth right now," Bridge said. "B-Squad's still green and Sky's still blue about his hearing and Z's all—"

"Carson!" Cruger interrupted before Bridge's train of thought got too convoluted. "I understand the situation. I wouldn't ask you all to leave if it weren't completely necessary. Besides, B-Squad has shown they have things under control if anything comes up while you're away."

"Okay," Bridge said, finally. He sighed. Quinn & Sophie nodded along.

Cruger felt he had finally gotten them to understand. Seconds later, he was bombarded with even more questions about Z's death. The doors to the office slid open and young Sam stormed in, looking extremely upset. Behind him, Isinia Cruger and Murphy, the robotic patrol hound entered.

"What happened?" Sam shouted. "What happened to Z?"

"Sorry," Isinia spoke up to her husband. "We heard what happened on the news. I couldn't stop him from coming back."

"It's all right," Cruger said to her. He had sent Sam away on a small trip with his wife to keep him from hearing of Z's demise too soon.

"What happened?" Sam asked again, looking at Cruger and then at Bridge.

"Z fell, Sam," Cruger said to the boy, who appeared to be quickly approaching thirteen. "She fell off the roof. I'm sorry."

"What?" Sam said, as he could feel his emotions reaching the surface. "That's impossible. She couldn't. She went up there all the time."

"We're looking into it. I promise," Cruger said.

"Why did you send me away?" Sam said, as a tear fell from his eye. His anger seemed to seep out right along with it. "Why?!"

"I thought it was best, Sam. I didn't want you to feel so hurt before I could explain what happened," Cruger said.

"We're sorry, buddy," Bridge added somberly.

"You don't know what's best!" Sam said angrily to Cruger. "If you did, you would have told her never to go up there!"

Before Cruger could place a reassuring hand on Sam's shoulder, the boy ran through the doors. Isinia watched him go and glanced back at her husband, shaking her head somberly, sending him a silent apology.

* * *

Elsewhere in S.P.D. Headquarters, Kat found her eyes glued to the text inside the S.P.D. handbook. She was concentrating on every single word. As she turned a corner, her keen sense of hearing didn't even warn her that footsteps were approaching. She ran right into Doctor Pryce Jensen, causing him to drop a handful of LCD pads he was carrying. Kat herself dropped the handbook she was carrying.

"Sorry," Kat said, as they both knelt down and began picking up their items.

"The S.P.D. handbook. I haven't seen one of those in a while," Pryce said, with a smile, as he handed it to Kat. "How's the exam coming?"

Kat sighed, giving him a bit of an annoyed look. She hadn't been extremely impressed with Pryce Jensen since his arrival. He was brash, cocky and more arrogant than any scientist she had ever met.

"I don't want to talk about it," Kat said.

"Well, if you ever do, feel free to knock on my door," Pryce said, shooting her a sly grin. "I'd love to pick your brain some time. We could even talk about some of my research."

"I don't really have that kind of time," Kat said, dismissing his invitation.

"Well, I would never dream of keeping you from studying," he said with a smile, as both of them got back to their feet. "After all, the lab's taken, so if you fail the Command Officer's test, you're pretty much out of a job."

Kat stared at him, giving him an angry glance.

"That was a joke," Pryce said quickly.

"Well I didn't find it very funny," Kat said, as she turned to walk away.

Despite the fact that she had continued on her way, Pryce watched her and smiled. He noticed she her eyes weren't glued to the manual anymore.

"Good luck," he called out, noticing her beginning to walk a bit faster upon hearing him.

* * *

Above the Purgatory lounge, there was a small apartment. One bedroom, one bathroom, a small kitchen and a sitting area made up the space. Syd found herself walking around. She had noticed that it was already furnished quite nicely and that intrigued her. She wouldn't have to purchase anything new on her limited budget and whoever the decorator was had good taste. As she fluffed a couple of the pillows on the black leather sofa in the sitting room, a figure appeared at the doorway behind her. Syd heard the knock on the open door and turned quickly.

Syd noticed the visitor standing in the hallway. The human woman was tall and beautiful. She had long dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Her full lips formed a slight grin as she walked a bit further in and looked around.

"Hi," Syd said quickly, having recognized the woman from Purgatory.

She remembered seeing her serving drinks the night that Syren Dean performed. Syd extended her hand.

"Syren Dean," she said promptly, waiting for her visitor to respond.

"Hello," the newcomer said, as she shook Syren's hand, but looked past her. "I couldn't resist. I just had to see what you've done with the place."

"Not much," Syd responded. "I thought it looked pretty great like it was."

"I guess I'll take that as a compliment then," her visitor said. "I used to live up here."

"Oh," Syd said quickly. "You're Mia."

"Yeah, Mia Storm," she introduced herself.

"Well, you took great care of the place," Syd said, with a cordial smile.

"We look out for each other around here," Mia said, as her tone seemed to tell Syd that it wasn't completely inviting. "It's very close-knit."

"I can imagine," Syd said, keeping her smile.

"One thing I think you'll learn is that it's very hard for outsiders to get comfortable here."

"I'm already comfortable," Syd said.

"Well, I'm not," Mia said, finally cutting to the chase.

She stood right in front of Syd, who was forced to look up at her.

"Excuse me?"

"I saw you earlier today talking to Barrett," Mia said. "I saw you flirting with him and I'm here to tell you that he's taken. The reason I gave up this apartment, is because my nights are spent in his bed and I don't like competition."

"Hold on," Syd said, as she walked backwards away from Mia a bit. "I think you've got the wrong idea. I have no interest in Barrett Van Tigue, other than the fact that he can pay my bills."

"I saw you."

"That was just me being nice. I promise you," Syd said.

"We'll see," Mia said, as she walked through the open doorway, without looking back at Syd.

Syd took a deep breath. She had only been at Purgatory for a short time and she had already made an enemy. This enemy, however, was one she couldn't afford to have.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Isinia said to her husband.

Cruger paced around the room, as he sighed. They were now alone in the Commander's office.

"It's not your fault. You couldn't keep him hostage and I never wanted you to," Cruger said.

"He started asking questions and I couldn't lie to him after he heard the news report," Isinia said.

"It's okay. I'm glad you came back early actually," Cruger said as he walked up to her, feeling her growing stomach. "How are you?"

"I'm doing okay," Isinia said. "The stares from the humans are lessening. I think they're all expecting me to pop out a rottweiler or something."

"I had intended to whisk you off to Andruss III sooner or later," Cruger said. "There's much more diversity there. I can't promise a house, but the Supreme Commander's got a pretty nice place."

"I'm surprised," Isinia said. "You've always been so determined to keep roots here on Earth, or has that changed?"

"Things are changing quickly," Cruger said, with a sigh. "Earth has been home to me ever since I left Sirius for good. But, Andruss III is the home of the Supreme Commander. It also happens to be the place where the Galactic Council will be meeting for Sky's hearing."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Isinia asked, looking curiously.

"Obviously, I'll be there for most of it to support Sky. I hope you will too," Cruger said, with a curious gaze.

"What are you getting at?" Isinia asked, sensing there was more to his statement.

"Sky needs an advocate for his hearing," Cruger said finally.

Isinia looked shocked and immediately started shaking her head.

"You can't think that I..."

"Isinia, you can do this," Cruger said.

"No, I can't. I can barely walk straight thanks to this load I'm carrying," Isinia said. "I'm not an advocate."

"But, you've had the legal training. You wanted to become a victim's advocate ever since we met back home on Sirius. You've always told me that," Cruger said.

"Things change," Isinia said. "I haven't picked up a law book in years. After everything that happened with Gruumm and then running the shelter last year, I've moved on from that childish dream. Besides, Sky's not exactly a victim."

"I know that. But, you can refresh your memory on the S.P.D. rule book and you can do this," Cruger said. "It's just a hearing. He's not on trial."

"He might as well be," Isinia said. "If he's found guilty by the Council, they can send him to prison. I honestly don't think I can have that weight on my hands."

"I can understand if you want to say no. I just hope you won't," Cruger said.

"You should get a professional, Doggie. It would do more good to Sky in the long run," she said.

"This hearing doesn't require a professional advocate. We just need someone to sell Sky's case to the Council. You can do that."

"I barely know Sky," Isinia said.

"You know him and S.P.D. Earth better than any other advocate would. You were there when Omallix was destroyed. I need someone who can convince them that what Sky did was justified. You've convinced me of more things than I can count. I know having your voice in that hearing would make a difference," Cruger said. "You're still a few months away from delivering. The hearing will only take a few weeks. The shelter is empty."

Isinia took a deep breath. "Why do I let you talk me into things?"

"Because you love me," Cruger chimed in.

"I'll only do it if Sky agrees. You know, you'd be much better as Sky's advocate," Isinia said, with a smile.

"I would, but I'll no doubt be called as a witness and being the Supreme Commander presents a few conflicts of interest," Cruger said.

"And being his wife doesn't?" Isinia inquired.

"They can't argue with talent and I've seen you in action. You'll have Sky back on the battlefield in no time," Cruger said, hugging her.

Isinia let out a deep breath, wondering if she could deliver on her husband's major expectations.

* * *

As the Blast Buggy zoomed towards Triforia, Quinn felt a bit queasy. It had nothing to do with visiting the respected planet and everything to do with Bridge's piloting of the new vehicle. He was a kid with a new toy for sure, Quinn thought. The cockpit of the vehicle was so small that there was only one seat for the pilot. Quinn and Sophie had been standing the entire voyage, which hadn't taken more than an hour. Quinn peeked out one of the side windows and noticed the tan-colored planet coming into view. As they flew past the purple moon, Quinn couldn't help but enjoy the ride, despite the conflicts they left behind on Earth.

As the Blast Buggy descended into the atmosphere of Triforia, the three S.P.D. Rangers took in the scenery, as Bridge piloted the Buggy, in flight mode, towards their landing destination, which had already been transmitted to them while in space. Sophie made a note of a slight static from the Triforian communications, a sign that their technical difficulties weren't a hundred percent solved.

Quinn took a few extra glances at the Triforian temple as they passed it. The pyramid-shaped structure looked stunning, even in the daylight, which on Triforia seemed a bit brown. The temple was considered one of the most visited monuments in the galaxy. Many Triforians visited the temple to meditate in times of crisis and the youth of the planet were often taken there to help calm their minds and spirits to keep their three personalities in harmony.

The Blast Buggy flew deeper into the city passing many of the structures, which all seemed to be set up in threes, except for one. Quinn saw the gray building with the S.P.D. insignia emblazoned on the front and he knew they had reached their destination.

As the Blast Buggy descended towards the ground, Bridge activated the controls, switching from flight mode to surface mode. The wheels of the Blast Buggy, which had been lifted on their sides to hover in space, slowly began to slide back into place. The Buggy landed with a bit of a clunk, as it landed on all four tires.

"Well, I have to say that landing was practically perfect," Bridge said.

"Which is more than I can say for the rest of the ride," Quinn said, as he headed towards the back hatch.

"Hey!" Bridge replied, as he unbuckled.

Sophie chuckled as she followed Quinn to the hatch. She grabbed a portable maintenance kit and slid its strap over her shoulder. The hatch opened and Quinn was the first one out. He immediately saw four beings heading over to them. They were all coming from the direction of Triforia's S.P.D. Headquarters. Sophie and Bridge were right behind him. They saluted as their hosts arrived.

"Officers, welcome," the oldest of the four said.

He wore the uniform of an S.P.D. Commander and they knew he was. Commander Trixx was known for his battle prowess and his unwavering Triforian spirit. Bridge shook his hand and was proud that Earth's tradition had caught on here.

"Commander Trixx, it's nice to meet you," Bridge said. "I'm Officer Bridge Carson. This is Officer Quinn Gray and Sophie. We're honored to be visiting. It's our first time."

"We're glad to have you. I'm very anxious to get that new communications reflector installed. As you can imagine, we've all been very worried that we'll miss another call for help," Trixx explained.

As he spoke to Bridge, Quinn couldn't help but notice the Triforian Officers behind Trixx. They didn't seem too worried, he thought to himself. They all seemed extremely calm, as they stood with their arms behind their backs perfectly postured. Their uniforms were much more sedate than what he was used to on Earth. They wore the same navy-blue color, but instead of the colored stripe down their left arms, they wore colored sashes across their chests, each representing their Ranger colors. Like all S.P.D. Officers, their uniforms featured the traditional S.P.D. badge.

"Let me introduce our S.P.D. Officers," Trixx said, as he turned to the trio. First, he pointed to the officer wearing the red sash. He was the tallest of the three. "This is Officer Geltran, our Red Ranger."

Geltran was taller than the Earth Rangers were for sure. His black, close-cropped hair was perfectly placed and his deeply tanned skin was the normal tone for a Triforian. Like all Triforians, including his Commander and teammates, he sported the trifold mark over his left eye.

"It is a pleasure," Geltran spoke, in a confident, yet friendly tone.

"And this is Officer Trename," Commander Trixx spoke, as he gestured towards the male in the middle.

He was shorter than Geltran and if Bridge had to guess, he would have surmised he was the youngest of the trio. He certainly didn't look any older than fifteen, even though Bridge knew that Triforians weren't allowed to serve until they reached full adulthood. Trename didn't say much. He simply nodded in greeting. Bridge smiled as he noticed Trename's blue sash. S.P.D. Earth's trio of heroes nodded in return.

"And finally is Officer Zex," Commander Trixx said, as he gestured towards the officer on the end.

The only female of the crew, Zex had long, flowing dark hair. A few of her locks were styled to fall over her left eye, which kept her Triforian marking unseen, although Bridge knew it was there. She had a tough smile, one he had come to enjoy seeing in his own friend, Z Delgado. Like Z, Zex was Triforia's Yellow Ranger. He could tell from his telepathic senses that she was no pushover. In fact, they all seemed hardened, professional, even in their thoughts. It was symbolic of the Triforians as a whole, always in balance.

"Well, it's nice to meet all of you," Bridge said. "We should probably get a look at your communications systems."

"Of course, I'll show you the way," Trixx said, as he began to lead them towards the S.P.D. base.

"I'll need some help with the reflector," Quinn spoke up.

Officer Geltran turned to Trename.

"Trename will assist you in whatever you need," Geltran said.

Quinn nodded in thanks, as Trename followed him back into the Blast Buggy. Bridge kept pace with Commander Trixx as he talked on their way into the base. Geltran was not far behind. A few paces behind him, Sophie walked. She began to notice Officer Zex's eyes focused on her. She glanced at her curiously.

"So, it's just Sophie?" Zex asked, as she admired Sophie's baggy black jumpsuit. "You're not an Officer?"

"No," Sophie said quietly.

"So, you're still a cadet?"

"Uh, not really. I'm a technician, just a temporary Ranger until a permanent replacement can be found for the pink powers," Sophie explained.

"Hmm," Zex said, a bit sarcastically. "Temp Rangers? I didn't know such an animal existed. They must have trouble keeping full-time Officers on Earth these days."

"Why do you say that?" Sophie asked, feeling a bit offended.

"Well, you haven't even graduated from the Academy and they're already handing you the zord. I heard your Yellow Ranger just died, but jeez. Next thing you know, they'll be making the janitor a Ranger," Zex said with a smirk.

A few paces ahead of them, Geltran had heard every word. He glanced back at the females.

"Zex, cut it out," he said, as they continued inside.

Sophie stopped, allowing Zex and Geltran to get quite a ways ahead of her. She looked disappointed as she stared at the floor, feeling all of her confidence dissipate in a matter of moments.

* * *

Back on Earth, inside the Delta Command Base, Piggy walked. As he walked past an E-Squad cadet, who nodded, Piggy simply kept mumbling to himself. He had been walking, thinking and even talking in circles around himself ever since he committed what he knew was the greatest atrocity of his life. It wasn't supposed to be this way, he thought. He killed one of his only friends, probably his only friend and worst of all, no one seemed to suspect he had anything to do with it.

For a murderer, getting away with the crime was a dream come true. But for Piggy, it was almost unbearable. Part of him wanted to march right up to Supreme Commander Cruger and confess to what he had done. At least then he'd be at the mercy of Space Patrol Delta. In his current situation, he was still at the mercy of the people he owed. Sure, they claimed that his debt would be absolved if he did what they asked, but he had no idea if they would stick to their word. They were more like him and he knew that his word was no good, especially now.

Piggy turned a corner, trying to get to his room as fast as he could. He knew he had to pack his bags and leave this place for good. Leaving Newtech City was his only option. But as he turned the corner, he couldn't ignore the sound of a sobbing child. Several meters down the corridor, he saw the redhead slumped on the floor, with his knees pulled tight against his chest, as he cried into them. Piggy took a deep breath and began walking forward, knowing the cruel fates were obviously going to punish him, even if the law wasn't.

"I guess you heard," Piggy said, somberly as he looked down at Sam.

"Leave me alone," Sam mumbled.

"Of course, kid. Sure," Piggy said, as he began to walk past Sam.

It was then that Piggy noticed the large golden plaque on the wall opposite Sam. It was Jack's memorial plaque. Piggy took a deep breath as he read it.

**In Tribute to Jack Landors...  
Forever a Friend, Forever a Ranger, Forever S.P.D.  
Forever Missed  
(2006-2026)**

Piggy couldn't help but notice the prominent crack in the plaque. He remembered Z telling him that she asked that no one fix it because it fit Jack more since it was damaged, but still standing. Piggy sighed. He had to get out of there. Everything reminded him of her.

"Why didn't they tell me?"

Piggy turned as he heard Sam's muffled words, through his tears. Piggy nodded his head. His eyes shot up into the ceiling, as he mentally cursed the heavens for putting him in this situation. Although, he truly knew that it was his actions that got him to this point in his life.

"Look, kid. They were just trying to protect you, I'm sure," Piggy said.

"I don't need protection. How could they not tell me? She was...she was like family."

"I'm sorry," Piggy said, more sincerely than Sam could ever know.

"I can't believe she's gone," Sam said.

"Me either, kid," Piggy said, as he took a deep breath. "Me either."

* * *

Inside the main hosting area of the Purgatory lounge, Syren Dean took a look around. She hadn't had the opportunity to really explore the place before her first performance. It almost looked like a completely different place in the daytime. The booths were empty, as were the tables. The stage was quiet, except for her pianist, Rogi, who was making sure the instrument was in tune for their next performance.

She smiled over at him and the alien man gave her a gentle wave. At that moment, she heard a few glasses clang together near the large bar on the left side of the stage. She watched as she saw Mia Storm stand up behind the bar. She had been hunched over in the cabinets below. She looked around and her eyes stopped when they reached Syren Dean. While Syd offered a small smile, Mia offered a steely gaze that showed her contempt. Syd sighed and stepped onto the stage, walking over to the piano.

Syd glanced at Rogi, the first real friend she had met at Purgatory. Honestly, in her lifetime she hadn't befriended many aliens and she didn't know why. Now, she was amongst humans and felt strange around all of them. Rogi looked almost like a robot, with his wooden-like skin. Syd had encountered his race a few years before.

She remembered B-Squad had responded to Troobians stealing gold from the World Gold Depository. Syd had helped to free the guard that morning. He was clearly from the same planet as Rogi. Syd smiled a bit as she thought back to that memory. It was the first day that they had encountered the Omega Ranger, future Sam, in his light form. He had come to their aid and took out a group of Krybots all on his own. Syd missed Sam. She missed a lot.

"She's got daggers for you, Syren," Rogi said as he nodded towards Mia behind the bar.

Syd nodded in agreement as she glanced back over at Mia, who was now busy wiping down the bar.

"I don't think there's anything I can do about it," she said back. "I tried talking to her, but she thinks I'm after Barrett."

"It's a natural response," Rogi said. "They haven't been together for very long."

"Oh?"

Rogi nodded his head, as he began to whisper to Syren.

"No. Just a few months. If you ask me, I don't think it's love anyway," Rogi explained. "It's more...convenience."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, I'm not one to gossip. I shouldn't be saying anything, actually. I guess when you've been around here long enough, you just pick up on things," Rogi said.

"I can understand that. Now that I've signed a contract, I guess I'll be around for a while myself," Syd said.

"Do you mind if I ask why?" Rogi said, turning the questions on his new friend. "Not many singers want to stick around here. Eastern Newtech isn't Hollywood."

"I know that," Syd responded. "Maybe I'm looking to get out of the spotlight."

"There has to be more to it than that for a pretty young woman like yourself," Rogi said.

"I just want to sing a song or two," Syd said, as she glanced back at Mia, who was again giving her an angry gaze. "I wish I could get Mia to realize that."

"We all have our reasons and I have a feeling there's more to yours than that," Rogi said.

"What about you?" Syd asked, in an attempt to change the subject. "Why are you here?"

"Honestly, I came here to prove a point," Rogi explained. "When my family and I first came to Earth, I indulged a bit too much in alcohol. We didn't have the stuff on my homeworld. I developed a habit. My wife and my daughters tried to help me. It took my son running away to finally get me to wake up. I got sober and I took the job here to prove to them that I could be this close and still not take another drink."

Syd listened intently.

"Unfortunately," Rogi continued. "It was too late. They found out about the job and they left me. That was two years ago. I've been here ever since."

"That's terrible," Syd said. "Why didn't you go after them?"

"I don't know," Rogi said. "I guess I'm still trying to prove it to myself. I'll admit I got attached to this place too. You be careful, Syren. A pretty, vibrant young woman like you should never get attached to Purgatory."

Syd nodded to him and looked back over at Mia. She was clearly attached to Purgatory and, like Rogi, Syd was beginning to realize that it probably wasn't a good thing.

* * *

Inside the Triforian S.P.D. Command Center, Quinn was surprised that it didn't look much different from the one on Earth. The main control console in the middle of the room was identical. The commander's station was simpler. It was a single chair and desk. It looked almost out of place amongst the futuristic technology. Quinn glanced over at Bridge and Sophie who were diligently working to secure the communications reflector, while the trio of Triforian Officers watched. He remembered Cruger's request that they investigate the Barconian incident.

"So," Quinn called out to the Officers. "What exactly happened the day that the equipment malfunctioned and you missed the call from the Barconians?"

"Well, we were out training," Geltran explained. "Afterwards, we came in here and our communications technician said that she was getting static."

"Lots of static," Zex added.

"Our sensors picked up the Barconian convoy in orbit," Trename explained. "We figured we should check it out since they were late for their delivery."

"We were already on our way when we finally got the call in," Geltran said. "That's why I don't understand why the Barconians are so upset over it. We did our best."

"We can't help it that the equipment malfunctioned," Zex added, a bit annoyed. "Besides, when the call finally did come through it was just some Barconian screaming 'partok' over and over again. We didn't know what that meant. If they were coming to Triforia, they could have at least had their translators working."

"Zex, stay calm," Geltran patted his female teammate on the shoulder.

Quinn thought to himself that it was too bad the Barconians weren't headed for Earth. If their S.P.D. had heard the call, they might have been able to help. After all, he knew the Barconian language. The word 'partok' meant help. Quinn winced internally.

"Like Trename said," Geltran spoke again. "We were already on our way when their distress call came in clear enough to make out. If our equipment had worked, we would have gotten there sooner and might have been able to help."

"We would have helped," Zex said, smugly.

"Whoever attacked them must have been following them or waiting for them," Trename explained. "They probably didn't have a lot of time."

From the communications station, Bridge listened intently. He kept getting some strange sensations from his psychic abilities. Part of him wished that Commander Trixx were here. There was usually solidarity amongst Ranger teammates and he certainly sensed that. But, their commanding officer might have been able to help him make more sense of his feelings by presenting a possible dissenting opinion.

At that moment, Bridge glanced back at Sophie and caught her staring at Zex.

"Something wrong?" he whispered.

"Nothing," Sophie mumbled, as she went back to work on communications reflector.

* * *

Inside his quarters in Earth's Delta Command Base, Sky Tate was all alone. It was becoming a permanent situation for him. He knew that his upcoming hearing would further decide his future. He would either return to active duty, leading his team of Officers in loyal service to S.P.D. or he would be headed to prison, a facility where he would be forced to mingle with the kind of criminals he vowed to defeat. Sky shook his head as he thought of the possibility. A possibility that was becoming more distinct as time went on. The doors to his room slid open and he turned to see Supreme Commander Cruger enter.

"Supreme Commander," Sky greeted Cruger, with the traditional salute.

"At ease, Sky," Cruger responded.

"Have you heard anything more about the hearing?" Sky asked quickly.

"The Galactic Council is scheduled to meet in a week to deal with the hearing," Cruger said. "We'll be leaving for Andruss III a day or so before."

"We?"

"Yes, I'll be accompanying you. I have a feeling Bridge and Quinn will want to be there as well," Cruger said.

Sky sighed.

"I'm not sure I want them there. With everything that's happened with Z...," Sky spoke with an emotion that conveyed his sadness that Z was gone and his disappointment that he was unable to do anything about it.

"I know," Cruger said. "But, it's times like this where it's better to stick together and that brings me to my visit. Your new advocate will also be making the trip with us."

"My advocate," Sky said, looking curiously. "You found someone?"

"Yes," Cruger said. "I believe I've found the perfect candidate."

Cruger turned away from the doorway and motioned for his companion to walk in. Sky looked confused as he saw Isinia Cruger enter.

"What's going on?" Sky said, as he looked more confused.

"I've asked Isinia to be your advocate," Cruger said.

"Are you joking?" Sky said the first thing that entered his mind. "No disrespect to you, Mrs. Cruger, but this doesn't make sense. Are you trying to send me to prison?"

"Sky, just listen," Cruger said. "Isinia trained to become an advocate back on Sirius, before she was abducted by Gruumm."

"It's true, Sky. I'm familiar with the proceedings. I just have to look into the specific rules and regulations that S.P.D. has come up with and I'm confident I can do the job, if you want me to," Isinia explained.

"I need a lawyer!" Sky said, more sternly.

"No, lawyers do not make the best advocates in this situation, Sky. You need someone who knows you and knows the situation and knows that you would never willingly disobey S.P.D. regulations without cause," Cruger said.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Sky spoke directly to Isinia.

"I'm not saying it won't be a struggle. It's going to be difficult for anyone to convince the Council, but Anubis believes in me and I believe in myself. I wouldn't take on the responsibility if I weren't confident in my abilities, Sky," Isinia said.

Sky turned away from them and paced towards his window. He couldn't help but peek out there. He saw a couple walking on the street below. He nodded his head, thinking of their freedom, thinking of Syd. Sky closed his eyes for a moment.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Sky said, as he turned back to the Crugers. "...But I don't have much choice. I'd feel more comfortable putting my faith in the two of you than a stranger."

Cruger put a proud arm around Isinia.

"Thank you, Sky," Cruger said. "You won't regret this. Together, we can beat these charges."

Sky nodded in agreement, but deep down he was scared, scared because the charges were real and because his actions last year weren't something he could run from, no matter how much he wished he could turn back time.

* * *

Kat walked towards the Command Center. Even before the doors slid open in front of her, she dreaded going inside. Ever since she had turned the corner, she had smelled him. He was in there. She was sure of it. Her keen sense of smell had tipped her off. Sure enough, as she looked inside the Command Center, there he was, working at an aft station. Kat walked in and nodded to Ghiren and Niyako, who were both working at the two stations at Kat's right. She glanced over at Pryce Jensen who was working at one of the stations on her left.

Kat strolled into her position at the main control console and began keying in a few commands to check the status of things as her duty shift began. It was almost as if her mental stop watch had started. She wondered just long it would be until he said something.

"Dr. Manx," Pryce called out, as he turned to her.

That didn't take long at all, Kat thought to herself.

"Yes, Dr. Jensen?"

"I hope you don't mind I was just doing a little zord research," Pryce explained.

"S.P.D.'s Chief of Technology is allowed to use the Command Center for any purpose," Kat said.

"Did you get that from your handbook?" Pryce said, with a cocky grin.

Kat looked over at him and saw deep into his eyes.

"Are you mocking me?" Kat said rather loudly.

Ghiren and Niyako both glanced at each other from their consoles for a moment, before returning to their duties.

"I would never be that bold," Pryce said, with a smile.

"You're bold enough, Dr. Jensen. But let me tell you something. Sooner or later, I'm going to become the Commander of this base and when that happens you are going to be in major trouble because I'm not going to take this attitude," Kat said.

"Attitude?" Pryce looked confused. "I think you're misreading me."

"I think I'm reading you just fine. I don't have time for a new friendship. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh," Kat said.

"Who said I wanted friendship?" Pryce said.

Kat could feel her intrigued annoyance with him growing.

"Commanders aren't supposed to have _friends_ anyway, are they?" Pryce said, sarcastically.

"Well your friendship is one I wouldn't mind sacrificing to become S.P.D. Earth's Commander," Kat shot back.

It was then that it hit her. Kat had finally realized what she had been missing in the simulation. It was so simple that it couldn't be the answer, or could it? It was something she never thought of. She was sure of that.

"I have to go," Kat spoke quickly to Niyako. "Contact me if there's trouble."

"Yes, Dr. Manx," Niyako responded, as Kat headed for the door.

Pryce watched her go, seeing her briefly stop for a moment in the doorway. She looked back at him for only a split second and then walked off. Pryce looked a bit confused.

"Was it something I said?" he spoke aloud.

* * *

On Triforia, Bridge strolled into the Officer's Rec Room. It wasn't like any Rec Room he was used to. It looked more like a library. The walls were lined with shelves of books. They didn't have a food bar. There was one simple food dispenser. Bridge scrolled through the available menu and noticed they didn't have what he was looking for.

"Note to self: Always bring your own toast on missions to other planets," Bridge spoke.

The doors to the Rec Room opened again and Bridge glanced over to see Sophie walking in, carrying a piece of circuitry. She slumped down onto one of the couches in the room. Bridge sat next to her.

"Wow. If I didn't know better I would have totally thought you were human just now. What's the matter?" he asked.

"I don't think I like it here," Sophie said. "It's that Zex. I keep feeling like every time I talk to her she's putting me down, without actually putting me down."

"They are kinda smug, I guess," Bridge said. "But then again, look around. If we were stationed here, I guess we'd be the same way."

"Yeah. I guess I just felt that being Pink Ranger I'd get a little more respect, you know?"

"Of course. But, I guess they feel like you haven't paid your dues. This is actually your first real mission as Pink Ranger," Bridge said.

"A mission where we're not even gonna morph," Sophie said. "It's not fair."

"That's no reason to strangle her with that cord," Bridge said to her.

Sophie looked at Bridge strangely.

"What?"

"That cord you're holding. You're not planning a homicide are you?"

"Of course not," Sophie chuckled. "I was actually bringing this to you to take a look at. I was on my way to toss the old communications reflector and I noticed this."

Sophie handed Bridge the cord and he examined the part of the cord that seemed burned.

"Looks fried," Bridge said.

"Yeah," Sophie said. "But look a little closer. It looks almost like someone tampered with it on purpose."

"What makes you say that?" Bridge said, as physically looked closer. "Any kind of systems overload could have caused this kind of damage."

"I don't think so," Sophie said, as she began pointing at some small slits in the wire casing. "You see those. That wasn't caused by some power overload. It's almost like someone was trying to cut at the cord. I think this was done on purpose."

"We can't make any accusations based on this, Sophie," Bridge said. "We need more evidence. Not to mention, we'd also need motive. Why would the Triforian S.P.D. crew purposely tamper with their communications technology?"

* * *

Inside the Purgatory lounge, Mia Storm was making sure that every glass was perfectly placed behind the bar. She took pride in her work, no matter what it was. She had to admit she had become a very good waitress and rather popular. She felt proud of that, because it meant happiness. She was happy for having a place to work and Barrett was happy to know she was dedicated to her work. She couldn't help but look up as she heard footsteps approaching. The sun might have been setting, but she knew the lounge wouldn't officially open for a few more hours.

As she glanced across the bar, she saw that it was indeed a fellow employee, their newest, Syren Dean, who took a seat at the bar, directly in front of Mia.

"If you order a drink, you will still have to pay for it," Mia said quickly.

"I don't want a drink," Syd said. "I want to talk."

"About what?" Mia said, a bit annoyed.

"About this misunderstanding between us."

"I don't feel like I'm misunderstanding," Mia said. "You were flirting with Barrett and you got caught. Now you wanna play nice? I'll pass."

"Mia, I'm not here for Barrett. Don't you get it? I have no interest in Barrett Van Tigue. I'm through with love. I can guarantee you that," Syd said, sincerely.

"Sounds like trouble," Mia said.

"Well, let's just say I left a lot of baggage behind that I'm not trying to replace," Syd said. "Besides, Barrett's not even my type."

"When most women see his bank statements, Barrett becomes their type," Mia said, as she raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not looking to hone in on your territory, Mia," Syd said. "We probably have more in common than you think."

Despite knowing it was true, Mia didn't respond. She simply gave her an icy gaze. Eventually, she watched Syren walk away. Mia knew a lot about having baggage left behind. But unlike Syren Dean, Mia wanted her baggage back, desperately and she knew that Barrett Van Tigue was the only one who could help her.

* * *

Inside his office in the back of the lounge, Barrett Van Tigue was sitting at his desk, watching his computer terminal, which was showing him a video replay of Syren Dean's performance in the club. Barrett was almost mesmerized by her. After seeing her in action again, he was very proud of acquiring her talents. The door to his office opened and he saw a familiar face peek inside.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure, V. Come on in," he said, as his associate, known as Lady Vishus, walked in.

A bodyguard by trade, Lady Vishus had the power to instantly take control of any room she entered. That was a testament to her domineering presence. She wasn't particularly imposing, physically, but her skills more than made up for her petite appearance. She wore a black pantsuit, with no blouse underneath. In fact, she usually wore nothing underneath her buttoned blazer. It matched her jet-black hair, which was accented with one streak of white.

Her look was unique and Barrett liked that. Everywhere he went, Lady Vishus stuck out. He never minded telling the world that he was protected and she was a definite protector. He noticed she was without her usual cane, which she never used for walking. Instead, she carried some papers.

"What's going on?" Barrett asked.

"How long have I worked for you, Barrett?"

"Six years now," Barrett said, with a smile, wondering where this line of questioning was going.

"So, why wasn't I informed that you were keeping this Syren Dean around?"

"I thought you said she passed the background check," Barrett said.

"She passed enough to sing here for a night, Barrett. I can't find any information on this girl from before five years ago. It's like she just showed up out of nowhere. It raises some red flags with me," Vishus explained.

"I'm not worried about Syren Dean," Barrett said. "Have you seen her? She's not exactly a threat to me. She's just a singer."

"She's not a threat to me either, but we have to be careful," Vishus said. As she spoke, she barely moved her lips, never expending more energy than was needed to complete any given task. "What do you really know about her?"

"Not much, but I definitely plan on changing all of that," Barrett said. "And with you to protect me, I have nothing to worry about."

"Well, that's because you pay me to do the worrying," Vishus said.

"And you're wonderful at it," Barrett said as he stood up and grabbed his blazer, putting it on.

A knock was heard at the office door.

"Yes?" Barrett called out.

The old-fashioned door opened and Barrett saw his right-hand, the alien Prax walk in.

"Well, the gang's all here," Barrett said, with a smile. "What's up, Prax?"

"I just received a call," Prax said. "There's a meeting I think you should take tonight."

"That's fine, Prax," Barrett replied. "Let's get the doors open and some butts in the seats and then I'll slip out for a little business."

"Just let me know when," Lady Vishus said, as she walked out.

Prax watched her leave.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's worried about my safety. What else is new?"

"Does she have reason to?" Prax asked.

"Syren Dean," Barrett said finally. "I tell you, Prax, I had no idea hiring a new singer for the club would cause such a stir."

"Don't worry, sir," Prax said. "You just have to give the hens a little time to adjust to a new addition in the hen house."

"Watch out, Prax. You're starting to sound human," Barrett said, as he chuckled.

* * *

Kat Manx once again found herself faced with the Firewall Massacre. She stood in the spot that she had come to expect to see Doggie Cruger in. This time, she had a feeling that she knew what to do. Her thoughts veered to Cruger once more, as she knew he was monitoring from outside the simulator. She took in her surroundings, noticing that all of the technicians were in their proper positions and the simulation of Pryce Jensen was at her side. They were all doing their duty and it was time for her to do hers, as much as it killed her.

"The fire wave will reach us in two minutes!" Ghiren shouted.

Kat phased out the sounds of the alarms as she heard Ghiren's voice yelling. She glanced at the main control console's holographic display showing her the S.P.D. Rangers racing towards the Command Center and away from the approaching firewall.

It was just like before. Like clockwork, Kat heard the succession of beeps coming from the console where Pryce was working. She closed her eyes gently, trying to keep one step ahead again.

"We've got a problem," Pryce yelled to her.

"What is it?" Kat said, knowing what he was about to say.

"The shield systems for the Delta Command Base are malfunctioning," Pryce said, looking confused. "Give me an extra minute or two to get them working."

"The wave will reach us in 72 seconds," Ghiren shouted. "It will reach the Rangers in 60."

"They're not going to make it," Kat mumbled to herself.

This time, she knew that statement was all too correct. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and took a deep breath before opening them.

"Niyako, make another announcement. We need to get everyone onto the Academy grounds if not into the base, so the shields will protect them. Tell the Rangers they have less than a minute," Kat ordered, before turning to Pryce.

"You have one minute to pull those shields up, Jensen. Not a minute more," Kat said.

Without looking up from his work, he nodded in agreement. Kat patiently waited. She could feel her nerves heightened. She was so used to doing something. But now, she had to sit back and watch.

"Fire wave impact in 32 seconds," Ghiren yelled out.

"The Rangers are calling in," Niyako yelled to Kat. "They're not going to make it!"

"Shields are back online!" Pryce yelled.

"We have all of the evacuees within the shield perimeter," Niyako spoke up from her station.

"Fire wave impact in 13 seconds," Ghiren shouted.

"Activate the shields," Kat said, as she took a deep breath, watching the simulation. The Rangers' vehicles hadn't made it there yet, but the shield was going up.

Kat's eyes closed, as she heard the dome shielding completely close, effectively locking the Rangers out. She felt the slight rumbling under her feet, as the wave passed over the Delta Command Base, leaving ash and destruction in its wake. But, everyone within those shields was fine. Kat opened her eyes, just as the simulation disappeared around her. She again watched as the doors slid open and Supreme Commander Cruger walked in. She watched him intently as he walked right up to her, handing her the LCD pad.

"Congratulations," Cruger said. "You passed."

"I can't believe it," Kat said, a bit surprised and a bit angered. "That was the answer all along? I had to sacrifice the Rangers?"

"The toughest job that any Commander faces is the fact that those they order into battle may not return," Cruger said solemnly. "It's an inevitable consequence of command. You had to experience it. It's tough and it's horrifying, I know."

"I know it was just a simulation, but I had to sacrifice my friends. I consider S.P.D. my family," Kat said. "I'm not sure I could make that decision again, if the circumstances were real."

"You could," Cruger said. "I know it feels like you never would, but when the fate of the planet you're sworn to protect is in danger, you have to do your duty and the duty of the Commander is to make sure that their planet is protected, not their Rangers. They know the risks and so do you. Those citizens that you chose to protect do not."

"Now that I have the job, I'm not sure I want it," Kat said, forcing a smile.

"With all of the turmoil around here, I wouldn't never fault you for turning it down," Cruger said.

"I would fault me for turning it down," Kat said finally. "It's time for me to stop sitting on the sidelines. I'm S.P.D. through and through. I may not like the rules, but I can't leave the game."

"Now, _that_ sounds like S.P.D. Earth's new Commander," Cruger said.

* * *

On the grounds of Triforia's S.P.D. Headquarters, Quinn watched the three Officers sparring. He noticed that Geltran was the best out of the three. That was no surprise, given his status as Red Ranger. Zex too was rather strong. Trename missed a few more connecting shots than the others. At one point, Quinn saw him split into three separate beings, so that he could match the movements of his two teammates. Geltran immediately stopped the sparring exercise and looked at Trename.

"Hey! Hold yourself together, Trename," Geltran said angrily. "You know your Ranger powers don't work when you don't focus on keeping your personalities together."

"Yeah, I know," Trename responded. "I'm sorry."

"You have to get better," Zex said.

Out of the corner of his eye, Geltran saw Quinn watching their training. He patted Trename on the shoulder and smiled politely.

"It's okay. You'll try harder, Trename. Won't you?"

"Of course," Trename responded.

The trio walked over to Quinn, as Bridge & Sophie joined them. Zex chuckled a bit at the arrival of Sophie.

"Finish with the maintenance, Sophie?" Zex asked, sarcastically.

"Hey!" Bridge said, sternly. "We're all on the same team here."

"Of course," Geltran said, as he turned to Zex. "Cool it."

"Sorry," Zex said to Sophie, insincerely.

She continued into the building, followed by Trename. Geltran wasn't far behind. As the three Triforians walked up the stairs, Bridge couldn't help but reach out to their minds with his telepathic powers, hearing Zex's thoughts.

_'They're almost as whiny as the Barconians...partok...partok. I swear when I walked into the Command Center and heard that transmission, part of me didn't even want to respond.'_

Bridge looked shocked. He looked to Sophie and Quinn, who both looked confused at what was wrong with Bridge.

"What is it?" Quinn asked.

"Guys, they're lying about the attack on the Barconian convoy. I'm sure of it," Bridge said.

* * *

On the top floor of S.P.D. Headquarters on Earth, Supreme Commander Cruger found Sam Hastings standing with his back leaning against a wall, next to the rooftop hatch. Cruger sighed, as he walked over to him, noticing his sad look.

"Sam, what are you doing here?"

"They won't let me go on the roof," Sam said, solemnly, as he pointed down the corridor at the two security officers standing guard.

"Sam, you can't," Cruger said.

"Why not? That's where it happened. I want to see where she fell," Sam said, as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Sam, I know that you're hurting. We're all hurting over what happened to Z. I have spent the last days thinking, wondering how I could have prevented what happened. But honestly, none of us could have prevented what happened to her," Cruger lied.

He knew that there was something he could have done to prevent it. But, he couldn't subject Sam to that.

"I just can't believe she's gone," Sam said. "She was all I had."

"Sam, I know it's going to take time, but I truly hope that you realize that we all care about you and we all want to be there for you, if you'll have us," Cruger said.

Sam looked up into Cruger's eyes. For some reason, he was a bit unsettled by what he saw. Sam was a better judge of character than he thought. He got the same uneasy feeling from Piggy hours earlier. It was a feeling he never got from Z. He simply nodded along with Cruger, knowing he would never get him to see Sam as anything more than a kid.

* * *

Piggy found himself once again walking down a now-familiar street in the twilight. He was nervous, as he usually was when hanging around the East Side of Newtech City. It was then that he saw the limousine approaching. The doors opened and he saw his familiar green friend sitting inside. Piggy jumped in and closed the doors, as the limo pulled off again.

"Hey there, buddy," Piggy said, sarcastically, never taking his eyes off his debtor.

"Piggy, I hear that you were successful in completing the task that we set forth for you."

"Of course. I can't deal with this debt anymore," Piggy said. "I feel awful."

"Well, I'm here to officially tell you that your debt to me is clear," the alien male in the white pants patted Piggy on the back.

"Good," Piggy said, half-surprised.

He found it hard to believe that this was going to be it. The limo came to a stop. Piggy glanced out the tinted windows and although it was getting darker by the minute, he was sure this wasn't the spot where he had been picked up.

"What's going on?" he asked his companion.

"Well, my boss just wanted to thank you in person."

The door to the limo opened and Piggy was not surprised by who entered the limo. In fact, he was expecting it. As the fellow sat on the seat opposite Piggy, the alien attempted a cordial nod.

"Barrett, nice to see you again. It's been too long," Piggy said.

Barrett Van Tigue nodded, as he tapped the window behind him. The glass lowered and the face of Lady Vishus, wearing a black chauffeur's cap, turned to face him, casting her gold-colored eyes on Piggy for a second.

"Yes, sir?"

"Let's take a ride, V," Barrett said simply.

After a smile that sent shivers down Piggy's spine, Lady Vishus turned back around and the limo pulled off once again. Piggy had a sinking suspicion that his dealings with Prax, the alien man sitting next to him, and Barrett Van Tigue were not over yet.

"What's going on?" Piggy said. "I thought this whole debt thing was over."

"Well, Piggy, plans change, as I'm sure you know," Barrett said. "My plans have also been modified a bit. Now that you've eliminated one member of the S.P.D. Rangers, I feel that I'm closer than ever to getting what I want."

"Okay," Piggy said, cautiously. "Again, sounds like my role in this saga is over."

"But it's not," Barrett said quickly and seriously. "I need you inside S.P.D., Piggy. I need you to be there as my eyes and ears. I can't have S.P.D. on my trail. That could ruin my future. So, Piggy, I hope you don't have any travel plans. Because it looks like you're going to be living with S.P.D. for quite some time."

Piggy sighed, as he knew he was now in deeper than he ever wanted.

* * *

"I think you have a really good shot, Sky," Isinia spoke to him inside his quarters. "I've been checking the Galactic Council records and it's very rare that charges like this lead to guilty decisions from them."

"Really?" Sky said, curiously.

"Yes," Isinia said. "It's usually just an opportunity for the Council to weight in on major conflicts and send a message that they're in charge. And lucky for us, Omallix was pure evil, human or not. I'm going to be honest with you every step of the way and I want the same in return."

"Of course."

"Good," Isinia said, with a grin, as she headed for the door. "Then I think we have an understanding. Now, I have more research to do. I will see you tomorrow."

"Mrs. Cruger, thank you," Sky said.

Isinia nodded, acknowledging his thanks. Sky took a deep breath as he glanced out his window, seeing the sun was completely gone now. There was so much going on out there. His thoughts veered to her. He missed Syd and wondered where she could be. At that moment, he heard the communications system in his room sound. He walked over to the comm panel on the wall and pressed the button. Since he was not allowed to leave without an escort, Sky was surprised to hear the guard outside calling him instead of the other way around.

"What is it?" Sky spoke into the panel.

"Officer Tate, there's a woman here to see you," the security guard's voice came through.

Sky's mind raced for a second. Could it be? Was Syd back?

"Okay," he said, as he walked over to the door and straightened out his uniform.

Sky took a deep breath as the doors opened. He was even more shocked to see who the woman was standing before him.

"Mom?"

"Hello, son," she said, as she walked further in. "We need to talk."

**TO BE CONTINUED IN...**

"Guardian"  
Cruger arrives on Triforia, after hearing Bridge's suspicions  
concerning Triforia's S.P.D. and the attack on the Barconian  
convoy. They are all surprised when Council Representative  
Trecineas shows up, looking for answers as well. Kat settles  
in as Commander, just as B-Squad is called into action alone  
for the first time. Sky's mother proves to be a dominating  
force, until Isinia steps in. Syd & Mia call a truce.


	3. Guardian

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"GUARDIAN"**

"This is a surprise," Sky said, truly shocked at seeing his mother face-to-face.

A courteous smile came across her face, as she walked over, embracing her son briefly, before running her fingers through his hair, attempting to straighten it. Sky pulled away from her, frowning a bit.

"What are you doing here?" Sky asked, curiously.

Mrs. Tate took a few steps back and took him in. She frowned.

"Look at you. You know, I always thought that I would see you in your uniform when I came to visit, especially after your promotion," she said, with a grim smile.

"I was about to go to bed, mother," Sky said, wearing a dark red shirt and black sweat pants. "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

"You're face is plastered all over every news outlet from here to the Helix Nebula, along with our family's name. Where else would I be?" she responded.

"Mom, you don't even watch the news," Sky said, looking a bit annoyed.

"Well, imagine my surprise when I attended a charity event a few days ago and attempted to sing your praises only to be met with snickers from my friends," she said. "I was shocked and frankly mortified at what they told me."

"So, you're here because you're embarrassed?" Sky asked.

"Sky, the Tate name isn't associated with arrests and charges of code violations," she replied. "We're supposed to be on the other side of the law."

"You have no idea what's going on. You have no idea what I've been going through all this time," Sky said, giving her a contemptuous look.

"I know that this is all some kind of mistake. If your father was here—"

"My father's not here!" Sky yelled.

"Don't raise your voice to me, young man," his mother said.

"_Young_ man?" Sky said, angrily. "Mother, I'm 23 years old."

After a moment of silence, Mrs. Tate huffed.

"You're upset," she said. "You should be, but not at me. I'm not the enemy. As a matter of fact, now that I'm here, we're going to get all of this sorted out. Once I'm finished this mess will be a distant memory."

Her flighty tone baffled Sky. It was at that moment that he realized she always spoke that way, even when he was a child. As if her name and status could get her anything she wanted. She walked close to him and kissed his forehead.

"I've booked myself a hotel room," she said.

"You can stay here," Sky said, with a sigh. "We have guest quarters available."

"Here?" she laughed, as she glanced around at the walls surrounding Sky's room. "I can't imagine what they're even feeding you in here. You look as thin as a rail. No. I want a good night's sleep. I'll be back in the morning and we'll get to the bottom of this."

She turned and headed for the doors, which slid open upon her approach. Sky frowned a bit.

"Mother," he called out.

She turned, giving him a curious nod.

"I'm glad you're here, because we do need to talk, about a lot of things," Sky said, as his mind veered to his father and the last year of Sky's life.

He noticed her frown reappear, as she nodded and left. Sky took a deep breath for he knew that his life had just gotten even more complicated.

* * *

Inside the vacant Commander's office, Supreme Commander Anubis "Doggie" Cruger sat at the desk in front of a communications monitor. He was looking downward at his palm, which held the red Delta morpher. Cruger grasped it a little tighter, as he thought of Sky and the predicament he was in. A chorus of beeps soon filled the darkened room.

"Yes," Cruger called out, only to hear the voice of S.P.D.'s communications technician.

"Supreme Commander, there is a secure transmission coming in for you from Triforia," Niyako spoke, in her pixie-like voice.

"Patch it through to the Commander's office," Cruger spoke.

Within seconds the blank screen in front of him was replaced by the image of Officer Bridge Carson. Cruger nodded upon seeing the Blue Ranger, who looked a bit concerned.

"Carson, it's late," Cruger said quietly.

"I know sir. I'm sorry to bother you," Bridge said. "It was hard finding time to slip away to contact you. We've made some surprising discoveries here on Triforia."

"Like what?" Cruger wondered.

"While Sophie and I were installing the new communications reflector, she discovered that the wiring to the old reflector had been cut, possibly by someone here," Bridge explained.

"You're serious?" Cruger asked. Some part of him always wondered when dealing with Bridge Carson.

"Yes, sir," Bridge said. "And that's not all. We were interacting with the Triforian Rangers earlier and my psychic senses started to kick in. Sir, I'm pretty sure that the Rangers knew about the Barconian's call for help before they responded."

"Bridge, if that's true then there's more going on there than I thought," Cruger said. "You have proof?"

"We're still looking for something more concrete. But, I'm certain they've been lying. I know it," Bridge said, looking deadly serious.

"Keep at it, Bridge," Cruger said. "I'll contact you to tomorrow."

"Yes, sir. Good night, sir," Bridge said, before signing off.

Cruger took a deep breath and looked back at the Delta morpher in his hands. It was not a good night. Now, a much bigger part of himself wished he could have sent Sky to Triforia as well. The team remained incomplete without its Red Ranger and without its fallen Yellow Ranger.

* * *

Deep on the East Side of Newtech City, Piggy shifted nervously in his plush leather seat. He had grown to dislike limousines after his last two trips inside this one. He was still digesting Barrett Van Tigue's words and he didn't like them one bit.

"Now that you mention vacation plans, I've been looking forward to doing some traveling, seeing the stars, exploring the galaxy, going where no Piggy's gone before," Piggy said, somberly.

"Stuff it, Piggy," Van Tigue said sternly. "You're going to stay at S.P.D. for as long as I need you there. Otherwise, your debt will be reinstated."

"Under its original terms, with interest," Prax added.

"But...but...," Piggy stammered. "You don't need me."

"I hope you're right, Piggy," Van Tigue stated. "After all, now that the Yellow Ranger is out of the way and the Red Ranger is headed for prison, the Power Rangers should be no match for what I have planned."

"Well, there not even on Earth," Piggy said. "They're off on Triforia somewhere."

"You see, Piggy," Barrett said with a smile. "This is why I need you there, to inform me of these developments."

"Look, Barrett. Whatever you're planning, you should just forget about it," Piggy said, deciding to change tactics. "I mean, S.P.D. is bigger than the Power Rangers."

"And so are my plans, Piggy," Barrett said. "So are my plans."

"What about B-Squad?" Piggy asked. "There still here. They're not just going to sit by and do nothing."

"B-Squad?" Prax asked, puzzled.

"Yeah," Piggy said, fearing he had said too much. "They've got powers now too."

"Powers?" Barrett asked curiously. "What kind of powers?"

"Ranger powers," Piggy admitted.

"Well well," Barrett said, as he shifted a bit in his seat. "It looks like S.P.D. is still capable of a few surprises."

"Exactly," Piggy said. "Barrett, you just have to cancel this big plan of yours. Maybe you should go on a vacation. You could use a tan."

"Shut up, Piggy," Van Tigue said, annoyed. "This B-Squad is no reason to halt my plans. I still have time. We just have to test them. It's time to see what they're made of."

* * *

As the bright sun rose over Newtech City the following day, the lives within Space Patrol Delta Headquarters, had all also risen. Spirits, however, were low for a few. Kat Manx was not amongst those few. As she stood inside the room that was now all hers, she took a deep breath and smiled as she glanced at the four barren walls. She bent down to the floor and picked up the first item in the box she had brought with her. Her smile got a bit brighter, as she read her graduation certificate from the Science Academy. That had been the beginning of her journey. A journey that led her to this place, this office, this day. Kat walked over to the wall nearest her and hung the framed certificate there. She knew she would be placing her desk just in front of that spot.

Kat turned around and glanced around the rest of the room, imagining where she would put her computer equipment, her scanners and shelf unit. She nodded her head a bit, as she thought of exactly how the place would look. The doors to her office slid open and she was greeted with the previous occupant, Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger. Kat smiled a bit more.

"Good morning," Kat greeted her commander, and friend.

"I see you've taken ownership of the place," Cruger, said as he walked over to the wall where Kat's graduation certificate hung.

"Yes, sir. You know me. I'm never one to waste time," Kat said.

"Me either," Cruger said. "That's what brings me here. I'm leaving for Triforia within the hour."

"Triforia?" Kat said, curiously. "Trouble?"

"I spoke with Bridge last night. It appears that there's more of a mystery there than I originally thought," Cruger said.

"So, they're closer to figuring out what happened with the attack on the Barconian convoy?" Kat wondered.

Cruger simply nodded.

"There are still lots of questions that need to be answered. I'm hoping that the Supreme Commander can get them," Cruger said.

"Understood," Kat said, as her frown faded a bit. "I'll hold down the fort until you get back."

"It's your fort now, Kat," Cruger said, with a nod.

"I guess you're right," Kat said, as she took a deep breath.

Cruger headed for the doors. As they slid open in front of him, he turned back to Kat.

"I'll talk with you soon…Commander Manx," Cruger spoke.

After receiving a nod from Kat, he was gone. All alone in the room again, Kat felt differently. It only took seconds for her to realize exactly what she was undertaking as S.P.D.'s new Commander. It suddenly hit her that she was completely alone now, without a watchful eye and confidante to back her up. S.P.D.'s Commander was officially on-duty.

* * *

Inside the Purgatory lounge, Syd heard the sound of slight giggles as she approached the main hosting area. She was used to being an early riser and was hoping she could snag a newspaper before anyone else was up. As she walked into the area, however, she knew she wasn't alone. She walked in to find her new boss, Barrett Van Tigue chuckling in a booth on the far end of the lounge, next to Mia Storm, who appeared to be feeding him strawberries from a fruit bowl. Syd let out a conspicuous cough, letting the duo know they were no longer alone. Two pairs of eyes watched her walk over to the bar, where a newspaper had been laid. One pair of eyes conveyed pleasant surprise and the other subtle annoyance.

"Syren, good morning," Barrett spoke up, cheerfully. "Getting an early start?"

"I was hoping to steal a glance at the paper before anyone else," Syd said, as she picked it up, realizing a few pages were missing. "I guess you beat me to it."

"Oh, I'm not one for the news," Barrett admitted. "It's Lady Vishus' territory. Why don't you join us until she gets back with the rest of it?"

At the sound of those words, Mia glanced at Barrett, curiously, wondering why he would want company during their romantic breakfast together. She then turned and watched Syren Dean coming closer to them. She gave her the icy gaze she had become accustomed to for days now.

"Well, it definitely looks yummy," Syd said, as she glanced at the spread on their table, before looking at Mia momentarily. "But, I don't want to intrude."

"There's more than enough to go around," Barrett said.

"That's okay," Syd said, with a cordial smile. "I'm not big on breakfast anyway, but thank you…both."

Syd turned and headed towards the back of the lounge, where the stairs to her apartment were located. As she passed through the doorway leading to the back area, she bumped into the person walking in the opposite direction. She looked up to see Lady Vishus, a woman quite a few inches taller than her, carrying a black cane in one hand and the missing newspaper pages in the other.

"Excuse me," Syd said quickly, as she passed her.

"No need to apologize, Syren," Vishus responded.

Syd had spent years alongside criminals. Her training in S.P.D. had helped her become a much better judge of character. Judgements didn't always come from a morpher and at that moment, she judged that Lady Vishus was not very happy to be running into Syren Dean, just by the tone of her voice. Both women continued on their way. Syd started up the stairs, when she paused, hearing Vishus speaking to Barrett.

"There's nothing in here about her death," Lady Vishus said to him.

Syd slowly walked back down the stairs and over to the doorway. She tried to steady her breathing. She didn't want anything to interfere with her hearing, as she eavesdropped. She heard the sound of paper falling onto a table. She peaked around to see that Vishus had dropped the newspaper pages in front of Barrett. As Barrett picked them up and began reading, Syd couldn't help but notice Mia stiffen up. Syd's eyes narrowed, as she realized Lady Vishus made Mia just as uncomfortable as she made her moments ago.

* * *

The standard Officer's quarters within Space Patrol Delta were much like the rooms occupied by the Academy cadets, with a few exceptions. There were no roommates and each officer had their own private bathroom. Sky exited his and took a deep breath. He had never bothered to decorate his room, as most officers did with personal belongings and designs that showed off their personalities. Sky didn't want to make a home where one didn't exist. He knew the reality was that he wasn't going to be there long. In fact, he knew that once he left for Andruss III, he might never return here again.

He walked over to his duffel bag on the floor and reached inside, pulling out a photograph. As he looked at the image of Nathan Tate in his uniform, smiling, Sky thought back to his encounter with his mother the night before. She invoked his father's name as if he were a miracle worker, much like Sky did for most of his life. His miracle worker had died, though, Sky thought. Nathan couldn't work miracles. He was merely mortal, just as Sky was. In the last year, Sky faced mistakes, made by both himself and his father. He was sure his mother would refuse to do the same.

As if on cue, the doors to his room slid open and his mother walked in. Stephanie Tate was very well dressed, as always. She was a woman of style. Her white silk blouse matched the dark colored pants she wore. She dressed as if she expected people to be watching her wherever she went. Seeing her in that moment, Sky seemed to have a revelation, as his brain thought of the saying about style over substance. It certainly applied to his mother.

"Good morning, son."

"Hi," Sky responded.

"It's a beautiful day outside," she said, as she placed the large white bag she carried on Sky's desk. "I bought breakfast."

"I was gonna have my usual," Sky spoke quickly.

"You're usual?" she asked, looking strangely.

"Some fruit and a glass of juice," Sky said.

"Well, you can have your usual when I'm not around," Stephanie responded, as she opened the bag and pulled out a carton, containing two cinnamon bagels. "I wasn't sure what type of cream cheese you'd prefer so I went a little crazy. I bought all they had. Unfortunately, that was only three flavors."

"It's fine," Sky said.

As he watched his mother delicately unwrap each bagel and gently spread the cream cheese on the first, he looked troubled.

"Mom," he called out.

"Yes," she responded, without looking up from her task.

"Stop."

"Sky, it's just a little breakfast. I don't see—"

"Mom, stop," Sky said, more sternly. "We need to talk."

"Fine," she said, as she laid down the plastic knife and food. "Since you're determined to starve yourself, I give up."

"As you can imagine, I'm not really in the mood for food," Sky said, seriously. "At least I hope you can imagine."

"Sky, I know this is all very difficult for you," she said, giving him a somber, motherly gaze. "I promise you I'm going to fix this whole debacle concerning these charges."

"I don't want you to fix it," Sky said simply.

"What?"

"I don't want you to fix my problems," Sky said. "You have enough to deal with."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Stephanie responded.

"Mom, you're here. After everything I told you months ago, you don't have any questions? You don't want to talk about—"

"About what?" Stephanie cut him off, seemingly oblivious. "About some petty rumors?"

"They aren't rumors," Sky said. "Ellie Gray and dad—"

"Now, you stop it!" his mother said, loudly. "Listen to me. I don't want to hear that woman's name in my presence."

"You can't just ignore it like it never happened."

"I can do that, because I know it never happened!" she said, as her voice got higher and more annoyed.

"But it did," Sky countered, even louder, more forceful than his mother was used to. "Dad had an affair. He had a son!"

"_You_ are his son!"

"So is Quinn!" Sky yelled back.

With one swift motion Stephanie Tate slapped her son across the face, using all five of her fingers. The feeling of her ringed fingers colliding with his face surprised Sky. His own hand instinctively went to his cheek, as he looked back at his mother. Some part of him expected to see her also looking shocked, much like she did when he was a child and witnessed an outburst of anger from her. Stephanie was not shocked by her actions now.

"Don't you ever call him that! He is not Nathan's son. You are. End of discussion," Stephanie said angrily, before she went back to her bagels.

Sky simply stared at her, as she picked up the plastic knife and finished spreading the cream cheese on her breakfast offerings. Sky even heard a familiar hum coming from his mother, as she did so. That scared him more than anything else. It was clear now that she intended to remain in the dark about his father. It was a reality that Sky knew he could never join her in. His days of dismissing everything negative about his father had passed.

* * *

Inside her new office, Kat had already set up her shelf unit. She carefully began to place items on it. Some of the items were pieces of equipment she had invented in the lab. Others were mementos: a box of microchips, the morpher that had once allowed her to become a Ranger, a roaring tiger statue given to her by her fallen friend, Felix.

Behind her, she heard the door chime. She had a visitor. Part of her wondered if it was someone with a problem that only the Commander could solve. This might be it. She took a deep breath, stood up straight and turned to face the door.

"Come in," she said, confidently.

As the doors slid open and she saw who was standing there, her entire demeanor changed. Her posture fell apart and she turned back to what she was doing. The visitor walked further in. Kat continued to place her objects on the shelf.

"What can I do for you, Dr. Jensen?" Kat said, over her shoulder, without looking back at him.

"Well, that was quite a welcome," Pryce Jensen said, with a smile. "I have to admit, I was curious."

"About?"

"Just how much this place was gonna look like your old lab," Pryce said.

"And?"

"It's not a complete copy, but it's also like no Commander's office I've seen before," Pryce said.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Kat said.

"When it's a compliment you'll know it," Pryce said.

Kat stopped what she was doing and turned to face her Chief of Technology and the playful thorn in her side as of late.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, a bit tersely.

"You're a Commander now, not a doctor," Pryce said. "This isn't a science lab."

"I'll always be a doctor, no matter what my rank is," Kat said, with an annoyed grin that attempted to convey her control over the situation.

"I guess that's fair," Pryce responded.

"What are you doing here, really?" Kat asked.

"Maybe I came to give you a chance to say thank you."

"Excuse me?" Kat looked confused.

"For helping you out with your exam. I mean, something I said in the Command Center got you going," Pryce said with a smile.

"Actually, it was something I said," Kat shot back.

"Well, I brought out the best in you, then. You can thank me by joining me for breakfast."

"No," Kat said quickly.

"Why not?"

"Because, I don't think it's appropriate," Kat said.

"You're saying you never had breakfast with Commander Cruger when you were Chief of Technology?"

"That was different," Kat said, sighing.

"How so?"

"Doggie and I are friends, close friends," Kat said.

"So, why can't we be close friends?" Pryce said, as she walked closer to her.

It was the way his eyes drifted over her that made Kat the most uncomfortable. She knew what he was after and there was no way she was going to give it to him. She folded her arms.

"Frankly, I don't think I like you," Kat said, as she stared into his eyes, forcing herself to keep a straight face.

Pryce's right hand patted the left side of his chest gently, as he winced.

"That hurts," Pryce said, faking an injured heart. "Come on. You don't even know me."

"I'm not going to have breakfast with you, Pryce."

"How about lunch then?" he asked, with a smile.

"I don't think so," Kat said.

"Why not?"

"Why are you being so stubborn?" Kat asked.

"Because I'm persistent," Pryce said, with a smile, as he began to slowly pace around the room. "And, I always get what I want."

"Is that right?"

"Yes," Pryce said, as he glanced back at her. "As a kid, I loved space movies. I wanted to travel out there amongst the stars, so I did it. In high school, I wanted Jenny Grayson's phone number. I had to write term papers for practically the entire football team, but I got it. I wanted to work alongside the top personnel S.P.D. had to offer, so I graduated from the Science Academy at the top of my class. I don't give up easily."

"That's obvious," Kat said, she saw him coming closer to her again. "But, I think you're going to realize that I don't give in that easily either."

"Oh, I know," Pryce said. "I've done my homework."

"Oh really?"

"Yes," Pryce said, with a smile. "And, I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy working under you."

Kat looked a bit surprised by his last words. Pryce rolled his eyes a bit.

"That didn't come out the way I wanted," he said quickly.

"I'm not so sure," Kat said, slyly.

Their eyes met again. It was a moment of intense intrigue, which was swiftly interrupted by the sound of the door chime. Pryce closed his eyes gently, almost as if he'd been hunting a wild lion, only to lose sight of his prey before pulling the trigger. Kat turned to the doorway.

"Come in," she spoke.

The doors slid open and Kat's eyes narrowed on the new entrant. She was familiar with Isinia Cruger and she knew when something was bothering her. She was clearly unsettled.

"Isinia, what's wrong?" Kat asked. "Is it the baby?"

"No," Isinia said, looking very worried. "It's Sam."

"Sam?" Kat joined her in looking troubled, as she walked over to Isinia. "What is it?"

"He's gone," Isinia said. "His teacher said he didn't show up for classes this morning and no one's seen him at all today."

"Oh no," Kat said, with a sigh.

She had a feeling this had something to do with the loss of Z. In fact, she would stake her life on it. Pryce walked over to the two, looking confused.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Kat said. "He probably just went for a walk."

"I hope you're right," Isinia said. "I just have a bad feeling."

"I'll go to the Command Center," Pryce said. "Ghiren may be able to track him."

"Thank you," Kat said to Pryce, as he headed out the door.

"We'll find him," Pryce said, confidently, before disappearing down the hallway.

* * *

About a mile away from Space Patrol Delta Headquarters, Sam Hastings walked. He, however, was not out for a walk. He had chosen, instead, to walk away. His brain had filled with way too many questions. They were questions he knew he'd never find the answers to within the walls of the Delta Command Base. Sam, however, wasn't quite sure where he would find the answers he was looking for. But, he kept walking forward, refusing to turn around.

As the Supreme Commander's personal shuttlecraft descended towards the ground on Triforia, Cruger glanced out the nearest window. He spotted the Triforian S.P.D. Headquarters in the distance. As his craft got closer, he saw the Blast Buggy sitting near the building. Cruger got a feeling of pride in that moment, because he knew that his handpicked officers were down there. That made him feel good, especially since he was sure that his visit was not going to be pleasant for the Triforians. He felt even more uneasy, as he noticed a crowd of Triforian citizens gathered near the S.P.D. Headquarters building. Cruger's eyes narrowed. Then, he sighed.

"Carson!"

After his pilot made a perfect textbook landing, Cruger stood at the aft hatch of the shuttle. With the press of a button on the wall next to it, the hatch doors slid open. Cruger stepped out onto the golden soil of Triforia, staring at the gathered citizens, who were all smiling. Some were parents with children, some were couples and some were singles there alone. Cruger would have thought they gathered for a parade, but he knew Triforia never had parades.

As he walked past the gathered groups and nodded to any that made eye contact with him, he spotted Officer Bridge Carson standing near the entrance to S.P.D. Headquarters. By his sides were the other Rangers, Officer Quinn Gray and Sophie. Cruger approached them, giving Bridge a look that he had become extremely familiar with. He never forgot his place, though and made sure that he seemed to be in good spirits to those watching.

Cruger walked straight up to the trio and greeted them warmly.

"Rangers, it's good to see you," Cruger said proudly, before bending slightly to whisper into Bridge's ear. "Don't tell me. Your psychic powers told you I was coming?"

Bridge gave him a confused look.

"No, sir. My powers have been really quiet today, actually," Bridge whispered back.

"Then what are all these people doing here for my arrival?" Cruger asked more sternly.

"Uh, sir, I don't think it's you they came to see," Bridge whispered, as he pointed past Cruger with one finger.

Cruger turned and that was when he got an even bigger surprise. He saw one of the Galactic Council's most popular representatives, Trecineas, a native Triforian and one of the most well-respected former officers to ever serve the planet. Cruger took a deep breath, as Trecineas made his way through the crowd, greeting the gathered with warm words and a few hugs. It appeared as if he had just completed a tour of the planet. He was flanked by Commander Trixx and the three Triforian S.P.D. Rangers.

Trecineas was a veteran member of the Galactic Council. His silver-colored hair gave away his advanced age, although he didn't look to be more than 40, in Earth years. Trecineas took very good care of himself. Trips to the Triforian temple no doubt helped. He bore the standard mark of a Triforian over his left eye. His dark brown suit was accented with a silver sash, which draped across his chest.

Although now he had his back to Bridge, Cruger leaned his head in Bridge's direction.

"When did Trecineas arrive?" Cruger whispered.

"A few hours ago," Bridge said. "I was gonna tell you, but when I sent a transmission home, Niyako said you had left already."

Cruger took a deep breath, as he realized that this situation had just gotten more complicated. Having a Council Representative present could impact Cruger's plans to confront the Triforia's S.P.D. branch.

A few minutes passed before Representative Trecineas made his way to the entrance to S.P.D. Headquarters, where he extended a hand to shake Cruger's.

"Welcome home, Trecineas," Cruger said, proudly.

"Thank you," Trecineas responded, with a smile. "I should extend a warm welcome to you as well. I saw your shuttle on its way down."

"Thank you," Cruger said.

"What brings you to Triforia, Anubis?" Trecineas asked.

Cruger's eyes veered to the three Triforian Officers at Trecineas' side, including the representative's own nephew, Trename. Cruger's eyes passed by all of them and Commander Trixx before resting back on Trecineas.

"Trouble," Cruger said simply.

Trecineas' eyes narrowed on Cruger, as he gave him a puzzled look.

* * *

As noon approached, Sydney Drew found herself in the same spot where she stood hours before, peeking around a doorway into the main area of the Purgatory Lounge. This time, however, she wasn't listening in on any conversations. In fact, the only sounds coming from that direction were a few glasses clanging together. She spotted Mia Storm at the bar. Syd took a deep breath and trudged forward. She walked right over to the bar, where Mia caught sight of her. Syren Dean greeted her with a smile. Mia simply stared.

"Can I get a glass of Moon Juice, please?" Syd asked politely.

"The bar's not open yet," Mia said coldly.

Syd turned her back on the bar and shook her head. Behind her, she heard a glass being laid on the bar. She turned back around and spotted Mia pouring the familiar red liquid into the glass.

"Thank you," Syd said. "That wasn't so hard was it?"

"That'll be three dollars," Mia said, faking a smile.

Syd couldn't help but smile. She pulled a few bills from the pocket of her gray sweat pants. As she counted them, she noticed Mia putting the bottle of moon juice away. Her eyes veered to the bracelet on her right wrist. It was stunning: a golden E. Carter original, studded with six diamonds. Syd knew the design well. She had received one as a sixteenth birthday present years ago. They were expensive.

"Nice bracelet," Syd said aloud.

"It was a gift from Barrett," Mia said, quickly.

"Well, you wear it well," Syd said back, with a smile, as she took a sip of the Moon Juice.

It was fresh. She half-expected it to be spoiled, given Mia's open dislike for her. As she took another drink, she noticed Mia's eyes running over her. Syd wasn't dressed for work. Besides her gray sweatpants and pink slippers, she wore a white baby tee, with the word "tasty" embroidered on it in pink sparkles.

"Let me guess. You were hoping to run into Barrett?" Mia said sarcastically.

Annoyed, Syd put the glass down and smirked.

"Mia, you have to stop that," Syd said.

"I do? Says who?" Mia said.

"Says me!"

The two turned towards the back doorway, where they saw Lady Vishus standing, leaning on her signature black cane. Clad in all black, Syd almost thought she was wearing the same clothes as yesterday. But, this was a one-piece leather bodysuit, which fit her thinly muscled frame perfectly. Syd watched as Vishus walked over to the bar, eyeing Mia.

"Come now, Mia. Your claws are showing," she said, through her thin lips, which were the color of a bright rose.

Her vocal inflection led Syd to believe that she was not a fan of Mia's. Syd also noticed Mia stiffening up again, just like earlier. It was as if Lady Vishus had just put Mia in her place.

"Can I get something for you, Lady V?" Mia said, through a nervous smile.

"I'll have my usual," Vishus spoke, as she eyed Syd.

She leaned a bit too close to Syd's ear.

"That's a Xybrian Fizz, with a hint of vodka," she whispered to Syd.

As Mia fixed the drink, Lady Vishus slowly walked around behind Syd. She could feel Barrett's associate's eyes studying her body, as if she were a work of art about to be burned for all eternity. Syd felt instantly uncomfortable. She glanced at Mia and realized she must have felt the same way in Lady Vishus' presence.

"Syren Dean," Vishus spoke, in her throaty, almost sultry tone. "Such a…unique name, for a unique beauty. We don't see many of your kind on this side of town, do we Mia?"

"Definitely not," Mia said, her voice low.

"This can be a dangerous place for such a pretty girl," Vishus said, as she ran a single finger through a lock of Syd's hair.

"I just came to sing," Syd said, trying not to appear as nervous as she was in that moment.

"Good," Vishus whispered again, as she walked behind the bar and stood next to Mia.

She picked up her small glass of green liquid and drank down all of its contents at once. With a refreshing smile, she placed the glass back on the bar and put an arm around Mia's shoulder, pulling her close.

"That was a helluva drink, my dear," she said to her.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Mia said, as she glanced at Lady Vishus for only a moment, before turning her eyes away.

For a second, Syd's eyes met Mia's. She saw the fear inside her.

"I enjoy a lot of things," Vishus said, as she glanced at both of the women. Syd couldn't help but notice her free hand was stroking her thigh as she spoke. "Another thing I enjoy is seeing Barrett happy and safe. It's a lesson our new friend, Syren Dean, should learn well, Mia."

Vishus smiled across the bar at Syd in a way that made her frightened and disgusted all at once. It was a rare response to a female. Syd always had the confidence to never feel threatened by a woman, but Lady Vishus was clearly like no woman she had met before.

* * *

Inside the S.P.D. Headquarters Command Center, Commander Kat Manx paced around the room's main control station. With her arms folded, Kat stared at her feet, as she walked around the room, listening to the subtle beeps from the workstations. Her technicians were doing their jobs. She continued her circular path, passing Dr. Pryce Jensen, who was working at the main control station. Being a tall man, he was slightly bent over, as he ran his fingers across the controls. Kat watched every movement of his digits, as she passed. Her hovering didn't go unnoticed.

"Still nothing, Commander," Pryce announced.

"We have to find him," Kat said.

"I do not believe he took any identifiable items with him, Commander," Ghiren spoke from the tracking station. "If he was carrying anything with S.P.D. markings on it, we could track him more closely."

"We'll find him," Pryce said, as he glanced back at his station. "He's a twelve year old kid. It's not like he can just disappear into thin air."

Kat stopped pacing next to Pryce and turned to him, staring.

"That's just it. He can!"

As Pryce realized his error in forgetting about Sam's genetic power, the doors to the Command Center slid open and Kat realized her reinforcements had arrived. B-Squad stood at attention in front of the main control station.

"What's going on, Kat—I mean, Commander?" Boom said, quickly correcting himself.

"Sam's gone," Kat announced. "He's been missing since at least 8 a.m. We've been trying to track him with no luck."

"And you thought it was time for B-Squad to step in?" Duc Sato, the Yellow B-Squad cadet spoke up.

"Exactly. The longer he's out there, the farther away he's going to get," Kat said. "I don't have to remind you that Sam's safety is paramount. If something were to happen to him, our entire future could be in jeopardy."

"Right," Casey Parker, the Green B-Squad cadet, said.

"Contact me if you find any trace of him," Kat ordered, before B-Squad marched out.

As the four cadets walked down the corridor heading towards the end of the hallway, they couldn't help but realize the mission that lay ahead. Sam's genetic power was going to make it extremely difficult to find him, especially if he didn't want to be found.

"This is terrible," Boom's worried voice cut the silence.

"It's okay, Boom," Casey spoke, as she gently patted him on the back.

"This obviously has something to do with Officer Delgado," Meg Thurman, B-Squad's Pink Ranger said.

"We're all taking Z's death hard," Boom said somberly. "Sam probably thinks he's all alone now. Guys, we have to find him."

"We will," Duc said, as the quartet turned down the left corner at the end of the hallway.

B-Squad was already focused on the task at hand. So focused in fact, that they didn't notice the figure walking in their direction from the right corner. Piggy heard every word they had just said. As he watched them continue on their way, chatting about search parameters, he stopped. Piggy winced as he leaned against the wall, quietly tapping his walking cane on the floor.

"Why me?" Piggy spoke to the heavens, knowing his eternal punishment was continuing.

He turned on his heels, headed for the nearest exit.

* * *

Inside the Barrett Van Tigue's office, he was playing the salesman. It was a role he had become used to in his business. He often had to sweet talk his food and alcohol distributors. He was even known for convincing a patron or two to order a few extra drinks, after giving them one on the house of course. But at the moment, Barrett's sales skills weren't working for the Purgatory lounge. They were working on his girlfriend. Mia had just finished detailing her latest encounter at the bar with his personal bodyguard, Lady Vishus.

"Come on, babe. You know that's just how she is. Lady V. didn't mean any harm. I promise you," Barrett said, placing a soothing hand on Mia's knee, as she sat in the chair in front of his desk.

"You weren't there, Barrett," Mia said, looking upset.

"Look. That's just the way she deals with these situations. She doesn't approve of me hiring Syren," Barrett said. "Honestly, I thought you two would be getting along better because of that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mia asked.

"I've noticed you don't really care for Syren," Barrett admitted.

"That's beside the point," Mia said, as she shifted nervously in her seat.

"All I'm trying to say is that you have nothing to worry about, babe," Barrett said, with a smile, before glancing at his watch. "Now, Sorry to cut this short, but I have some business to take care of."

"It's fine," Mia said, with a sigh, as she stood and headed for the door. "I know work comes first."

Barrett followed her and gave her a warm hug, at the doorway.

"You know me so well," Barrett said, as he placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

Minutes later, Mia was long gone and Prax was entering Barrett's office.

"Prax, you're late," Barrett said. "Where's this associate you wanted me to meet?"

"He's right outside," Prax said, as he opened the door to Barrett's office and peeked out.

After a few waves of Prax's finger, Barrett saw the alien male enter. He stood up from his desk and got a good look at the newcomer.

"Barrett Van Tigue, this is my…cousin. His name's Relliott," Prax said, with a nod.

Barrett smiled a bit, as he noticed the absolutely non-existent resemblance between the two alien men. Prax was from the planet Geetlin, where all of the inhabitants were green, almost insect-like creatures. This new fellow, Relliott, looked almost robotic, with his steely-toned frame, accented with a metallic blue armor. His squared head matched his body in color and featured two sharp horns, extending where his ears should have been. They looked a bit like spikes. Barrett couldn't help but stare a bit at Relliott's piercing orange eyes.

"Don't look too long, Barrett, you may get burned," Prax spoke up. "I was thinking that Relliott could help with the little job you have in mind."

"Prax has told me that it involves S.P.D.," Relliott said, his tone low and gritty. His speech patterns almost made him appear to be hissing.

"Yes, it does," Barrett said, smiling. "I want you to go after B-Squad. I have no idea what kind of strength they have. I'm curious."

"Sounds interesting," Relliott said. "What should I do with them once I've found them?"

"Well," Barrett spoke, as he sat back down in his chair and leaned back. "I'm hoping you'll destroy them."

* * *

Inside his personal bathroom, Sky stared at his image in the mirror. He turned his head a bit to glance at his left cheek, which seemed to have gotten redder by the hour, since his mother's slap. As Sky straightened up and looked straight ahead, into his own eyes, his face was blank. He didn't know what to make of his mother's strike and he wasn't sure that he wanted to. At the sound of his door chime, Sky exited the bathroom. His blank expression was replaced with one much more serious. He looked straight at the door, expecting to see her enter.

"Come in," Sky said.

The doors slid open and Sky was a bit surprised. He had been expecting his mother, but instead was greeted by an expectant mother.

"Mrs. Cruger," Sky said aloud. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I can tell," Isinia said, as she walked closer to him, staring at his face. "You'd think the Red Ranger wouldn't bruise so easily."

"I didn't think I needed my morpher to talk to my mother," Sky replied.

"Your mother?" Isinia said, looking shocked. "_She_ did this?"

"She was upset," Sky said. "It's no big deal."

"No big deal? Your mother shows up here for the first time I've ever heard about, she decks you and it's no big deal?"

"I provoked her," Sky said. "I should have never mentioned Quinn."

"This is about your brother?" Isinia asked.

"She's going through a lot," Sky said, as he fought back his emotions. "Knowing that my father had an affair, on top of the fact that I'm headed for a hearing before the Council…it's natural that she's upset."

"It's never natural to strike your child, especially not for telling the truth," Isinia said. "You know Sky, if this relationship between us is going to work, it has to be based on the truth. I have to be honest with you, your mother was out of line."

"It doesn't matter," Sky said. "You don't know her. She's so dedicated to her lifestyle that any negative issues send her over the edge."

"Your mother's not the one charged, Sky. You are."

"But that's why she's here. She thinks she can save me from all of this," Sky said. "Our family means everything to her."

"If that were true, her son wouldn't be standing here with a bruised face," Isinia said, as she gently rubbed her own growing stomach.

* * *

As Cruger walked down the hallway inside Triforia's Space Patrol Delta Headquarters, he was extremely focused. If he wanted to he could have counted the amount of times he heard his own boots hit the sterile, steel flooring. He could have easily differentiated between his own steps and those of the three beings trailing behind him. They were a bit more reserved than he. He turned a corner, and headed for his destination. Cruger knew this was going to be one of his biggest tasks since becoming Supreme Commander. He was about to accuse the Triforian S.P.D. Officers of deliberately ignoring an attack on an allied planet's convoy. He stopped two meters away from the doors to the Triforian Command Center. Directly behind him, Bridge Carson bumped right into his back. Cruger grumbled, as he glanced back at him.

"Sorry," Bridge said, in a low voice.

Cruger glanced a bit at Quinn Gray and Sophie who were standing on opposite sides of Bridge. He quickly nodded to each of them, giving them a silent vote of confidence. He trusted them and what they had discovered. The time had come for the warriors of Triforia to answer some tough questions. Cruger stepped forward, causing the doors to slid open.

Standing inside the Command Center, the team from Earth spotted the three Triforian S.P.D. Officers standing around the main control station in the center of the room. All three of them were stiffened, standing at attention. Galactic Council Representative Trecineas was standing before them, with his back to the doors. Cruger and his crew walked further in and Trecineas turned to him.

"I didn't come to get in the way, Supreme Commander," Trecineas said, as he stepped aside. "I'm just as concerned as you are about what happened with that convoy."

"Good," Cruger said, before turning his attention to the trio of officers. "You three are sworn protectors of not only this planet but all planets within the boundaries of S.P.D. jurisdiction."

"We are sir," Geltran, Triforia's Red Ranger spoke up.

"Then tell me, why didn't you respond to the distress call from the Barconian convoy that was headed here?" Cruger asked.

"We did," Geltran said. "Like we told the Earth Rangers, we got there too late."

"You were lying," Bridge called out.

"What?" Zex said, looking surprised.

"I know you were lying. I have psychic abilities," Bridge said. "I heard you, Zex. Outside, you said that you walked into the Command Center and heard the Barconian's cry for help. You couldn't have heard it if you were already on your way to help them like you told us you were."

Geltran and Trename both turned to the Yellow Ranger standing between them, staring at her with stunned looks on their faces.

"I never said that!" Zex shouted, as she looked at her teammates, and then Cruger.

"You thought it!" Bridge said, sternly. "I heard your thoughts as clear as day. You lost control for that one moment and I heard the truth. I'd bet my life on it."

"Is that all?" Geltran said, looking suspiciously at Cruger. "You're accusing us because of some stray thought he heard?"

"No," Sophie spoke up. "That's not all."

She pulled the damaged piece of wiring from her jumpsuit pocket and held it up.

"I took this from the old communications receptor. It's been cut," Sophie said.

"I'd be willing to guess that it was cut after the transmission came in," Bridge added. "As a way to cover your tracks."

"We never cut anything," Trename, the Triforian Blue Ranger said quickly, as he nervously glanced at his uncle Trecineas standing nearby. "I swear."

Trename appeared to be beginning to sweat, while Geltran appeared to be slightly shaken from his stoic stance. Standing between them, Zex appeared to be fuming.

"The wiring was damaged," Geltran said. "It was caused by a rupture. None of us cut it."

"She's been out to get me ever since she arrived," Zex shouted at Sophie.

"Wrong again," Sophie said, confidently. "It's been you who's treated me like dirt since I arrived. This wiring wasn't damaged by a power burst. It was cut. There's no evidence of frying on it."

"Now," Cruger said a bit louder. "I would like an explanation. If you can't provide one, I'll be forced to place all three of you under arrest."

"You can't do that," Geltran said, angrily.

"The Supreme Commander is well within his right," Trecineas said, from nearby. "Unless you confess to whatever you're hiding right now, there will be no other choice."

"Uncle, I'm sorry," Trename spoke, before being interrupted by his teammate.

"Shut up, Trename!" Zex yelled.

"We have to tell them the truth," Trename said. "It's too late."

"We can't," Zex said.

"Officer Gray, place them under arrest," Cruger said to Quinn, who stepped forward, drawing his laser pistol.

"Stop!" Geltran called out. "We can't tell you anything because we were ordered not to."

"By whom?" Cruger asked, curiously.

"By me."

Everyone in the Command Center turned towards the open doorway and saw Commander Trixx enter. His face was blank, but Bridge's psychic powers were working hard and he could sense the flood of emotion within the Triforian Commander.

"Trixx?" Trecineas said, in a shocked tone. "What have you done?"

"I had reason to believe the Barconians were lying," Trixx revealed. "They had tried to raise the price of goods that they brought to Triforia for sale. They claimed that the route was becoming more dangerous. They were attempting extortion!"

"They didn't destroy themselves!" Bridge shouted angrily.

"I didn't realize the attack was real until it was too late. When I picked up the enemy fire, I dispatched the Rangers, but the Barconians had already been destroyed. I ordered them not to reveal the truth and I cut the power to our communications systems to explain why we didn't respond," Trixx explained.

"You gambled with the lives of the Barconians on that convoy, over some hunch?" Cruger said, disgusted. "Commander Trixx, I have no choice but to relieve you of command. Further charges will be forthcoming."

Trecineas watched Trixx with apprehension, as he saw the Commander nod to his superior, accepting the punishment. Cruger then turned back to the trio of Triforian Rangers.

"The rest of you should expect reprimands," Cruger said to them. "I demand more of my Officers, than to stand by while others are in danger."

"Yes, sir," Geltran said, speaking for his team.

In instant, the tension in the room had come to a head. After the truth had come out, the three officers were once again standing at attention, along with their Commander, accepting responsibility for their actions.

* * *

From her window above the Purgatory lounge, Syd stared off at the city in the distance. That was familiar territory for her. There were times, like right now, where she wanted to just run there, to find the familiar. In the past few days she had tried to immerse herself into this world, to forget where she came from, but she could not. Syd took a deep breath as she imagined what was happening downtown at that very moment. Then, Syd heard a knock at her door. She walked across the living room and opened it, surprised at who she saw standing there.

"Mia," Syd spoke.

"Don't say anything," Mia said, lowly. "I just came to say I'm sorry."

Syd's eyes conveyed her shock at what she heard Mia say. She wanted to tell her how taken aback she was, but she heeded Mia's words.

"I'm not usually like this with people," Mia said, beginning to look more unsettled. "I don't know what it is."

"Mia, it's all right," Syd spoke.

"No, Syren, you don't understand. I should be welcoming you. You have no idea what I've been going through around here. I've been treating you the way that Lady Vishus treated me when I first came here," Mia explained. "I didn't even realize it until earlier. I was cruel to you and I apologize."

"I accept," Syd said, with a smile. "It's hard to get used to outsiders."

"I should be," Mia said. "Even after years of working here, I'm still an outsider."

"Do you want to come in and talk?" Syd offered.

"No, I should go," Mia responded. "But thanks for asking. Again, I'm really sorry."

Without another word, Mia turned and left down the hallway, headed for the small stairwell at the end. Syd watched her go, still surprised at her quick turnaround. She smiled a bit as she realized things might just be turning around for her at Purgatory.

* * *

In downtown Newtech City, a black and white S.P.D. patrol jeep was moving along the streets at a steady pace. The four members of B-Squad all had their eyes on the streets, the alleys and open buildings in the area. Duc Sato was behind the wheel, pulling double duty. He watched the traffic and kept an eye open for Sam. In the passenger seat, Meg Thurman was looking around as well. In the back seat, Casey Parker also had an extra job. She searched for Sam, while also holding onto Boom's leg, as the B-Squad Blue Ranger was standing on his seat screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Sam!" Boom shouted into the air. "Sam!"

"This is not working," Meg said, with a sigh from the front seat.

Her words didn't stop Boom's continued yelling of Sam's name. Little did she know, Boom's incessant screaming was working. A few blocks away, Sam's pre-teen legs were carrying him as fast as they could away from the shouts of his name. He turned a corner into an alleyway and turned back for only a second to see if B-Squad was getting too close. He didn't see any sign of them. He smirked a bit. However, Sam didn't want to take any chances. He steadied his breathing and prepared to use his genetic powers to teleport himself much further away. He turned away from the direction of the street and bumped right into the tall alien whom he hadn't seen land on the ground there.

"Sorry," Sam said, before turning away from the alien and beginning to head back where he came from.

For a second, Sam looked into the being's orange eyes and he got a very bad feeling. Relliott grabbed the child by his collar and sprinted up the walls of the building that created the alley. Relliott moved with the quickness of a super-powered squirrel. Seconds passed and they were at the top of the building. The speed of Relliott's movements caused a bit of motion sickness in Sam. His disorientation made using his powers difficult, especially since Relliott had now grabbed one of his arms and twisted it behind his back. From the roof, Relliott looked over the edge, seeing the approaching S.P.D. jeep.

"B-Squad!" Relliott screamed out.

He saw the jeep in the distance speed towards his location. As he saw the B-Squad Rangers jumping out of the vehicle, he laughed a bit.

"I think I've found what you're looking for," Relliott shouted down to them.

"Sam!" Boom shouted. "Are you okay?"

"Not really," Sam said.

"We're coming!" Boom yelled.

"This is it, guys," Duc said, as he looked to Meg, who was smiling.

"Oh yeah," she said.

"Ready?" Casey called out.

"Ready!" her three teammates responded, as they pulled their white morphers from their holsters.

"S.P.D. Emergency!"

Within seconds, the four B-Squad cadets were decked out in their new morphed power suits and helmets. The familiar strike suits of the A-Squad now officially had new owners. With their blasters already drawn, the four Rangers hopped onto the jeep, pushing off to gain momentum and within seconds, their advanced agility sent them flying onto the roof of the building. Relliott tossed Sam down.

"Ouch," Sam grunted.

"Sam!" B-Squad Blue called out.

With his teammates' weapons focused squarely on Relliott, Boom set his sights on Sam. As he saw Boom rushing towards him, Sam waved his hand over himself and instantly disappeared. Boom knelt in his spot.

"Oh Sam," Boom said, somberly, before turning his attentions back to the monster. "You're under arrest!"

"We'll see about that," Relliott said, as he cackled.

Within seconds, he sprinted around each of the Rangers, unleashing a volley of kicking and punching attacks that sent sparks shooting through their suits. All four members of B-Squad found themselves down. Their first arrest wasn't going by the books.

* * *

As Sky sat in complete silence, he contemplated the last occasion where he sat in a room with another person without saying a word. He couldn't remember the last time it happened, but it was happening right now. Even as he took an occasional glance across the room at his mother sitting at his desk, they never spoke in the fifteen minutes she had been there. The only sound that could be heard inside Sky's quarters was the Delta Command Base's emergency alarms.

"Do they have to keep that annoying sound going?" his mother grumbled.

"It's an emergency alarm," Sky said. "We have them to make sure people realize that the city is under attack."

"You should be out there handling it," Mrs. Tate huffed.

"Well, I'm not," Sky said flatly.

"I don't understand you, son," she said as she stood up and walked closer to Sky's bed, where he was sitting. "You should be fighting all of this hearing nonsense."

"I plan to," Sky said, as he looked up at her.

"The Galactic Council has some nerve," his mother said, smugly. "This is all some conspiracy to discredit our family. After everything we've been through in the last year—"

"_We've_ been through?" Sky stood, looking confused. "What exactly have _we_ been through in the last year?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Don't make me mouth that atrocity," she said.

"We've been through nothing, compared to what dad went through all those years, knowing the truth and doing nothing about it," Sky's voice rose, getting more angry with every sentence.

Sky watched his mother shake her head, refusing to listen to what he was saying.

"Mother, you can't bury your head in the sand anymore," Sky said, seriously. "You want to know who went through hell last year? Quinn Gray did!"

Stephanie shot her son an icy glare at the sound of Quinn's name. Sky didn't flinch or move from his position standing right in front of her.

"You want to know why he did? Because his best friend died and on top of that, he got verbally abused for months from someone who had no right to judge," Sky said, internally scolding himself. "But I did judge him...for something he had no control over. You know why I did it? Because of who I was...or who I thought I was."

"What are you saying?" she finally spoke.

"I'm not perfect. That's why I'm in this situation. I made a bad choice, because I was clouded by anger. That's why I'm headed for a hearing that could completely disintegrate my career! Do you understand that?!" Sky yelled.

"Of course I do, Sky," Mrs. Tate, said, as she placed a soothing hand on his shoulder. "None of this is your fault. Don't you see? This is all their doing. They're trying to cut us down because of who we are."

"You still don't get it!" Sky said, as he pulled away and turned his back to his mother. "I'm here because of me! This has nothing to do with my father and everything to do with me. It doesn't matter what my last name is."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing," she responded. "How can you say that? Our name means everything! Your legacy means everything to you."

"It used to," Sky said, as he turned and faced her. "But I can't worry about the Tate legacy anymore. I'm too busy trying to fix the Sky legacy."

"You disgrace your father's memory when you say that you don't care about what he's done!"

"I do care about what he's done!" Sky yelled. "I let what he did control me for years. But you know what, I finally realized that the agony I felt last year was nothing compared to what he had to go through. He went through the pain of leaving his son behind for us...for you! So you wouldn't have to suffer and have your precious name tarnished!"

Sky walked even closer to her mother. He wanted to make sure that she was hearing him.

"Dad's only mistake was thinking that after 18 years, you'd be able to pull yourself together and realize the truth so his son could know who his father was," Sky said, angrily.

"You're just saying all of this to hurt me because I hit you," Mrs. Tate, said, furiously. "I apologized for that!"

"Actually, you didn't," Sky said quickly. "But this has nothing to do with that. You can't hurt me anymore. You can't control me anymore. You can't mold me into him anymore!"

"Your words are a bigger blow than any slap I could throw at you," she said, fuming. "I can't believe you would turn your back on everything we've built. Are you trying to ruin our entire family or are you just trying to drag us down with you?"

Stephanie Tate's angry feelings had filled her head so much that she never heard the doors behind her slide open. With the alarms still blaring, Sky hadn't heard them either. In fact, they may have never noticed Isinia Cruger standing there, if she hadn't spoken at that moment.

"I'm glad you're not on the Galactic Council, or we'd be in serious trouble," Isinia said lightly.

Mrs. Tate turned quickly and glanced at her. After a few breaths, the redness in her face finally disappeared.

"You must be Mrs. Cruger," she said.

"I am. You must be Mrs. Tate," Isinia replied.

"So, Sky's mentioned me?" Stephanie said, as a cordial smile quickly appeared on her face.

"Actually, I noticed your handiwork first," Isinia said sarcastically, as she pointed at Sky's face.

"Mother, Mrs. Cruger's here to talk about my case," Sky spoke up. "I think you should go."

Stephanie turned back to him, looking a bit surprised again. As she looked into his eyes, she saw that coldness was all he had to offer her.

"You can't help me, mom," Sky said, as he looked directly into her eyes.

Without another word, Stephanie grabbed her purse and stormed out of the doors, passing Isinia, who stepped out into the corridor behind her. After Isinia heard the doors close between her and Sky, she called out to the departing Tate.

"Mrs. Tate," Isinia said. "I would really appreciate it if you didn't make any appearances at Sky's upcoming hearing."

Stephanie stopped in her tracks and turned around, shining her steely gaze upon Isinia. She walked a few steps closer to her, but there were still several feet separating them.

"You can't tell me where to go. You've been hanging around your husband too long," Stephanie said, rudely.

"And you haven't been around Doggie enough," Isinia said. "It's no wonder you waited until _after_ his departure to show up here."

"Going to tell the Supreme Commander on me?"

"I won't have to. Sky's face will tell the story just fine," Isinia shot back.

"I've never struck my son before," Stephanie said, angrily.

"And you never will again," Isinia replied. "Because as I said, you won't be attending the hearing. If you show up there, I'll make sure the cameras are around to hear exactly what happened today."

"Who do you think you are?" Stephanie said, disgusted. "You think because you're the wife of the Supreme Commander that you can order me around?"

"Why not. You think because you're the wife of Officer Nathan Tate, you can bully around everyone, including his son and the Galactic Council," Isinia said, sarcastically.

"Don't you worry. This is the last time I will try to help my son," Stephanie said, coldly. "It's clear to me now that you all have corrupted him, so much so that he's turned against his own name."

"Sky will never turn against his name," Isinia said. "He has more respect for the Tate name than you can imagine. After all, _he_ is a Tate by blood."

Stephanie knew exactly what Isinia was implying with her last statement. She glanced down at Isinia's belly.

"You're not a mother yet. You have no idea what my life is like. Once you do, I think you'll regret everything you've said here. If you don't, then you really are a...bitch," Stephanie said, as she turned and began to saunter away down the corridor.

"Better to be one by blood than by choice," Isinia instantly replied.

Stephanie paused in her tracks for only a moment. She didn't turn back.

* * *

On the other side of the Delta Command Base, Commander Kat Manx was watching a holographic projection showing the battle between the B-Squad Rangers and Relliott. At her side, Dr. Pryce Jensen had just pulled up Relliott's record.

"He escaped from a detention center on Fargia II. He's got super speed and extreme fighting skills," Jensen reported.

Kat sighed, as she saw Relliott take down the Yellow B-Squad Ranger. She glanced over at Ghiren at the tracking station.

"What about Sam?" she called out.

"We've lost track of him...again," Ghiren said in a disappointing tone.

Kat's eyes went back to the holographic image. Part of her wanted to scream out to the Rangers. Another part of her wanted to kick one of the technicians off their station and take over it herself. But, she reigned in those feelings. She knew the Commander had to be there for the Rangers. As she saw Relliott zoom past all four Rangers, seemingly striking them all simultaneously, their suits lit up with sparks, as they fell at Relliott's feet again.

"Looks like you're no match for me, after all, B-Squad!" Relliott said, as he began to cackle loudly.

He grabbed at his chest plating and began to grow infinitely larger before their eyes. The B-Squad Rangers watched as he grew to city-wrecking size. His orange eyes cast down on them. He pounded his first down on the rooftop. The four B-Squad Rangers jumped away, as the roof began to crumble.

"Commander, we could use some help!" Boom yelled into his morpher.

"We're sending the Runners," Kat yelled into the air, knowing Niyako would transmit anything she said to the Rangers.

Within seconds, the five Delta Runners were speeding onto the scene. The five Runners were operating by remote as they sped towards their Ranger pilots. Delta Runner 1 was the only one that would continue working by remote for the rest of the battle. Relliott watched the zords heading in his direction and laughed again, knowing they would be no match for him.

* * *

On the planet Triforia, Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger found himself again walking in the corridors of the S.P.D. Headquarters there. He came to a stop at his destination and pressed the buzzer for the door chime. As Supreme Commander, he didn't have to announce his arrival, but it was a courtesy he would never ignore on purpose. The doors to the Triforian Commander's office opened and Cruger stepped inside to see Representative Trecineas standing in the middle of the room, with his arms folded behind his back.

"You wanted to see me before my departure?" Cruger spoke.

"Yes, Anubis," Trecineas spoke, sadly. "I'm extremely upset by what's happened here. I had no idea Trixx was behind this incident all this time."

"Of course. Neither did I," Cruger said.

"My own nephew's caught up in this now," Trecineas said. "Have you decided on punishment?"

"Yes," Cruger said. "All three of the Triforian Rangers will have formal reprimands in their records. Commander Trixx has a hearing before the Council to look forward to. I'll let you handle him."

"Thank you," Trecineas said, faking a smile. "Actually, Supreme Commander, that's why I've called you here. I've been hoping that you would keep this incident quiet."

"Quiet?" Cruger said, curiously.

"Yes. As you can imagine, if word got out that the Officers refused to respond, the Barconians would cut off all contact with us," Trecineas explained.

"Haven't they done that already?"

"They've held off on making shipments to Triforia, but I'm confident that my diplomatic efforts will bring them around," Trecineas said. "I just need time. I would truly appreciate it."

Cruger sighed, as he thought over Trecineas' words.

"Trename is family," Trecineas said, sensing Cruger's apprehension. "I would like to spare his family the dishonor. You are a noble warrior, Anubis. When I heard you were appointed as Supreme Commander, I breathed a lot easier. We're both old warriors. We know the risks and we know the struggles. I admire you and what you've done on Earth. You...and your Rangers."

"What are you getting at, Trecineas?" Cruger asked.

"It's no secret that Officer Tate's hearing is just a few days away," Trecineas said. "I've seen all the reports and even before I've heard the arguments, I'm pretty certain that I will be voting not guilty."

"Why are you telling me this?" Cruger asked.

"I just want you to know that I understand mistakes," Trecineas. "I'm sure you do too, given the case of Officer Tate. I'm hoping that your understanding will extend to Triforia."

"I will make an effort to seal the records to the public, Trecineas. But, that's as far as I can go," Cruger said finally.

"That's all I can ask then," Trecineas said. "I'll see you at the hearing."

Cruger exited the office and let out a low growl.

* * *

Inside his quarters, Commander Trixx of Triforia was packing a few bags. He was ordered off the premises immediately. He prepared two electronic letters to be e-mailed immediately. The first letter was to his wife, who was vacationing on Mirinoi at the moment. He wanted her to know what had happened as soon as possible. The second letter was to someone who knew exactly what had happened. The second recipient knew much more than anyone else about the situation with the Barconians. Trixx knew that if he didn't send that letter, he would be in more trouble than Supreme Commander Cruger could throw at him.

Blocks away from the raging battle between Relliott and B-Squad, Sam Hastings materialized on a street. He heard the stomping feet of the large alien monster and began running in the opposite direction. As he turned a corner, he bumped into yet another alien. This one, however, was much more familiar.

"What's the rush?" Piggy said to the boy.

"Piggy," Sam said, curiously. "What are you doing out here?"

"Lookin' for you, kid," Piggy said. "You gotta stop running."

"Why?" Sam said, angrily.

"Because Space Patrol Delta is your home. Whether you like them right now or not, they're your family. You really want to keep running? You really want to be responsible for what's about to happen out there?" Piggy spoke.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"They're fighting because you were in trouble. Whether they lose or win, some part of you will feel responsible. Believe me when I say that you don't want that on your head," Piggy explained.

"I didn't ask them to come after me."

"But they did, because they care. They're going to continue to care and look for you whether you want them to or not," Piggy said. "If something happens to B-Squad because they were out looking for you, could you forgive yourself?"

"No," Sam said, quietly, as he looked down at the ground.

"Good, then let's get the heck outta here," Piggy said, as he grabbed his cane tighter with one hand and Sam's collar with the other and began scurrying away.

A few blocks away, the B-Squad Rangers were already aboard their Delta Runners, forming the Delta Squad Megazord. The large Megazord took a few swipes at Relliott with its sword, but he was too quick for the attacks. He kicked the Megazord in the back from behind, sending it crashing to the ground on its chest.

"We have to get up!" the B-Squad Yellow yelled.

"He's too fast!" B-Squad Green chimed in.

"We have to keep fighting," B-Squad Pink yelled, as she twisted her wheel.

Within moments the Delta Squad Megazord was back on its feet, but Relliott was nowhere to be seen. The Megazord quickly drew its blaster and began to quickly scan the area.

"Keep your eyes open," B-Squad Blue spoke.

"Looking for me!"

Relliott's voice was too close. The alien being popped up right in front of the Megazord, pushing it's blaster out of the way and grabbing a hold of its head. The monster sent a surge of orange energy from his eyes, through the Megazord. All four of the B-Squad Rangers yelled, as their consoles began to spark and smoke with damage.

Inside the Command Center, Kat and Pryce were still watching from the main control console in the center of the room. Kat folded her arms and took a deep, worried breath. At her side, Pryce shook his head.

"They're in trouble!" Pryce said. "We have to do something!"

"We'll take care of that!"

Pryce & Kat shared a confused glance as they looked back at the holographic projection and saw three familiar zords come flying into the area. Kat knew Bridge's voice when she heard it. S.W.A.T. Flyers 2, 3 and 5 flew into the area, firing on Relliott from behind, as he was too focused on the DSM.

"Perfect shot!" Quinn yelled from inside the green flyer.

"Let's go for another!" Sophie chimed in from inside the pink S.W.A.T. Flyer.

The three zords came around for another pass, but Relliott had already let go of the DSM and sped off, towards the pink flyer. He started to swat at the S.W.A.T. Flyer, as Bridge brought his into Relliott's eye range. As both of his hands tried to knock the zords out of the sky, the blue S.W.A.T. Flyer zoomed right in, firing at Relliott's unprotected chest. The monster's body burst with sparks, as he crashed to the ground. As he staggered to his feet, B-Squad regained their composure within the DSM.

"It's judgment time!" Boom yelled, as he activated the Megazord's judgment mode.

Within a few seconds, it was flashing a red X.

"Guilty!" the four B-Squad Rangers yelled, as they fired the Megazord's blaster at full capacity, containing Relliott.

Sighs of relief and sedated cheers of victory passed through the B-Squad cockpits.

"Thanks, guys," Boom said. "We couldn't have done it without you."

"I guess you'll never have to know," Bridge spoke back.

As the zords headed back to their home at the Delta Command Base, Barrett Van Tigue sat dumbfounded at the desk inside his office. He had been watching the entire battle on his computer, as Prax stood behind his chair, peeking over his shoulder at the feed as well.

"I don't understand this," Barrett said, quietly. "I thought the Officers were gone."

"They must have come back early," Prax said.

"This doesn't bode well for my plans, Prax," Barrett said. "I need them out of the way...all of them!"

* * *

Inside the Delta Command Base, Sky was apologizing to Isinia Cruger for his mother's behavior when they both noticed the emergency alarms had stopped. Isinia sighed.

"I always feel better when that happens," she said.

"I guess my mom must have officially exited the building," Sky said, smirking. "Thank you. I heard what you said out there. Thin walls."

"Sky, I meant it," Isinia said back. "We're a team now."

"You're right, Mrs. Cruger. I'm hoping you guys are the only team I need," Sky said.

"Sky, after everything that's happened, please call me Isinia," she said, with a chuckle.

"Okay," Sky smiled, as she headed for the doors.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Isinia said.

"Yeah," Sky said.

As Isinia turned her back to leave, he called out to her.

"Wait," Sky said, as he saw her turn back to him. "Isinia, I have a feeling you're going to be a great mom."

Isinia nodded, as she walked off down the corridor. Sky walked back over to his window and saw the sun beginning to go down. He was looking forward to the horizon and happy to let this day end.

* * *

From her window above the Purgatory lounge, Sydney Drew stared out at the falling son. Her eyes veered downwards and she saw them coming. Customers, patrons, guests. It was going to be a pretty good turnout in the lounge tonight, she thought. She glanced over at her dress, a sparking silver number that she was sure would turn a few heads. She sighed, as she picked up the remote to her television and turned it on. The screen slid out of a nearby wall and the news report detailing the monster attack was shown.

The volume was down so low that Syd couldn't hear what the anchorman was saying. But, as she saw the video playing of the S.W.A.T. Flyers swooping in and helping out the Delta Squad Megazord, she knew what was coming. She watched as the monster was contained and a smile appeared on her face. The sound of her cell phone ringing caught her off guard for a moment. She picked up the device and checked the caller identification. She frowned, as she answered.

"Yes," she said quietly. "I know."

A few seconds passed, as the caller was clearly talking quite a bit.

"I'm trying," Syd said, annoyed. "You just have to give me time. I don't want to raise suspicions. I'll get what you need. Just be patient."

After a few more heated seconds, Syd hung up the cell and turned to face her dress. It was time for Syren Dean to go to work. There was more at stake here than her singing career, but it was going to help her accomplish the caller's demand.

* * *

A few hours later, Commander Kat Manx exited the Command Center and began walking away when she turned the corner at the end of the hallway and spotted a familiar face.

"Doggie, you're back," Kat said.

"I heard you had a busy first day after I left," Doggie said.

Kat shook her head.

"Things are quiet now. Sam's back, safe and sound. We have Piggy to thank for that. B-Squad held their own. Of course, a little assistance from the Rangers didn't hurt," Kat said, with a smile.

"So you handled your first day like a pro," Cruger said.

"I guess," Kat replied. "I learned to expect the unexpected. How did things go on Triforia?"

"As well as can be expected," Cruger said, with a smirk. "It was hard. I also learned something, though."

"What's that?"

"I'm going to do whatever's necessary to get Sky back on this team," Cruger said, nervously.

Kat sighed, as she put a comforting hand on Doggie's shoulder, knowing the tough road ahead for both of them.

* * *

Elsewhere in the Delta Command Base, Piggy entered his quarters. As he heard the doors close behind him, he locked them as usual. He dropped his cane on the floor and walked further in, as he thought about the day he had. Talking Sam into coming back to S.P.D. wasn't going to clear his conscious the way he wanted to. Piggy knew his burden would increase the longer he stayed here in Space Patrol Delta, seeing all of their familiar faces, especially Sam. Part of him hoped that whatever Barrett Van Tigue wanted to accomplish would be done soon, so that he wouldn't have to be faced with the memories of Z Delgado anymore.

Piggy walked over to a mirror on the wall opposite his desk. He glanced at his reflection. After a few seconds, he closed his eyes, refusing to look at himself. Just like every other time he had closed them recently, he heard her screaming. Piggy strained to keep his eyes closed, but the sounds of Z's screams were too much.

He opened his eyes upon his reflection again, but this time it was different. Piggy's eyes grew wide as he saw her through the mirror, standing there, behind him. His breathing sped up a thousand times.

**"It's not enough, Piggy!"**

It was Z's voice, Piggy thought. But it was different...distorted, dark, booming through his head. He began to see her image contorting in the mirror.

**"It'll never be enough!"**

"Ahhhhhh!" Piggy screamed as he turned away from the mirror towards his desk.

Once he turned away from the image in the mirror, he saw that she was gone. She was never really there. Piggy stared around the room, as he looked back at the mirror, but saw nothing. His breathing refused to steady. He realized he had just seen a ghost. There was only one thing he could do.

"Ahhhhhh!"

**TO BE CONTINUED IN...**

"Haunted"  
Sky's hearing before the Galactic Council begins and it  
has everyone on edge. Piggy finds himself haunted by  
visions of Z. Mia introduces Syd to the reason she's involved  
with Barrett Van Tigue. Kat is taken aback when Dr. Jensen  
unveils his biggest project, which introduces her to the next  
generation of S.P.D. law enforcement. Syd's reasons for  
staying at Purgatory become much more clear.


	4. Haunted

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE  
  
**"HAUNTED"**

Parenthood is universal. It occurs across miles, countries and planets. Parenthood creates bonds that become practically unbreakable. Expectant mothers are known for their connection to their unborn. It is a bond that is created almost immediately. New fathers, however, are not expected to hold such a strong bond, until they meet their child for the first time. For Anubis "Doggie" Cruger, the bond was already in place.

He knew what he would feel like after the arrival of his offspring. He knew because he already had children. Over the many decades of his involvement with Space Patrol Delta, he had developed partnerships, relationships and friendships. But, in recent years a few had become more. They weren't just cadets or students or even teammates. They had become family. They had become his children.

As Doggie Cruger stood inside the S.P.D. Headquarters Infirmary and watched his pregnant wife being examined, his mind veered to them. It was a tumultuous time, no doubt. He had experienced happiness, pride and loss with regards to his "adopted" children. In a matter of days he knew the fate of one of them, good or bad, would be sealed. Deep down, Cruger prayed that his new offspring would never face the difficulties of his current charges.

Cruger walked a little closer to the examination bed where his wife sat, talking with Doctor Shivan Sevarus. Cruger nodded to his friend, as he placed a gentle hand on the knee of his wife.

"So, Shivan, is she ready for space travel?" Cruger asked.

"I don't foresee any problems," Sevarus responded, with a polite nod. "She's still about eight weeks away from delivery and I'm pleased with the progress."

"And everything is going well with the pups?" Isinia asked.

"They appear to be developing well," Sevarus said, as he glanced at a monitor on the wall behind him, which showed two tiny heartbeats. "Of course, you're going to have to watch your stress levels."

"I'll make sure of that," Cruger said, nudging Isinia's arm.

"You were the one who asked me to be Sky's advocate, Supreme Commander," Isinia said, as she rolled her large eyes at her husband.

"Still, you can't get too overly involved in the emotional aspects of it," Cruger said.

"That's much easier said than done."

"Well, the hearing won't last very long," Sevarus said. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Isinia."

Sevarus grabbed a silver briefcase from the table beneath the monitor and brought it over to Isinia's bed, lying it down. He opened the case to reveal several small clear vials, each containing a transparent blue liquid. Several packaged syringes were stored in the compartment beneath the lid. Isinia sighed, as checked the contents of the case.

"This should be enough of a supply to hold you until your return to Earth," Sevarus explained.

"I can't wait until this pregnancy's over," Isinia said. "These injections are a nuisance."

"Well, the only other alternative is to ship you back to Sirius for the remainder of your pregnancy. So, use it as an incentive to hurry back from your trip," Sevarus said, happily.

"I'll try," Isinia said.

"Speaking of trips, how was yours, Shivan?" Cruger asked.

"I quite enjoyed my time on my homeworld, Anubis," he responded. "It had been so long since I had time to visit with my family. After everything that happened last year with Omallix it was definitely needed."

"I can understand," Cruger said. "It was a tough time for all of us. But, we're glad to have you back, old friend."

"I'm glad to be back, sir."

* * *

Directly behind the entertainment area of the Purgatory Lounge was a long hallway. This long hallway seemed almost like a corridor of fate. Besides a staircase leading to the second floor, there were five doors. One of the doors led to Barrett Van Tigue's office. Another led to a private bathroom, used only by certain employees. The third door led to a small break room, where employees could meet and store their belongings before a duty shift. The fourth door at the end of the hallway was always open, for it led to the main hosting area of the lounge. The fifth at the very end of the hallway led into the alley behind Purgatory. 

Like the lounge itself, the hallway seemed old-fashioned with its wooden flooring, brick walls and non-sliding doors. In a world where many owned their own shuttle and indulged in drinks from around the universe, this place was decidedly rustic. To some this specific area might seem claustrophobic, but to Lady Vishus it was cozy. She was used to taking ownership of any space she entered and this hallway was no different.

As she walked calmly and confidently from the break room, she had her eyes on Barrett's office. As she reached the doorway, her hand grazed the metal knob for only a second. Her keen sense of hearing alerted her to a much more interesting doorway. She crept towards it. She paused there as she processed the two voices she heard and knew instantly that they were Mia Storm and Syren Dean. That didn't startle her as much as the sound itself. The two women were laughing...together.

Lady Vishus sauntered into the main lounge and spotted Syren Dean seated at the bar. Behind it, Mia was refilling two glasses. Vishus was taken aback by the fact that they both appeared to be happy in each other's presence. She didn't like what she saw. As she walked closer to the bar, she made a point of stepping a little heavier. Her heeled boots collided with the floor, alerting the revelers to her arrival.

"Lady V, it's good to see you," Mia said, with a cordial nod.

"Hi," Syren greeted her.

"This is a surprise," Vishus said, as she came to a stop extremely close to Syren's stool. "You two look as if you've just come from a slumber party." She faked a frown. "No one invited _me_."

Her low, throaty tone matched her sultry voice perfectly. As close as she was to her, Syd couldn't help but take in her scent. The strong perfume she wore seemed to mix perfectly the smell of lavender and musk. The odor invaded Syd's nose like deceiving venom.

"Mia and I have come to an understanding," Syren told Vishus.

"That's too bad," Vishus said, pouting. "I was enjoying your rivalry. I can't tell you how many nights I laid awake thinking about it."

She had a blank stare on her face in that moment. But inside, Syd was sneering. She glanced at Mia and saw the same feeling in her eyes.

"I guess we're all friends now," Vishus said, slyly. "One big happy family...until we slit each other's throats."

Vishus let out a deep chuckle. Mia and Syren didn't laugh. In fact, Lady Vishus had managed to completely destroy the good-natured atmosphere the two young women had been enjoying.

"Could you imagine the three of us, braiding each other's hair?" Vishus said slowly, as she raised her hand towards Syd's golden locks.

Syd knew she would pull away before she let that woman touch her, no matter what it would mean to Syren's persona. Luckily for her, she never had to.

"Heel, V."

The three women turned to the back doorway where Barrett Van Tigue had appeared. He smiled, as he walked over. Vishus retracted her perfectly painted red fingernails from going near Syren's face.

"Barrett," Vishus smiled. "You naughty boy. How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to see everyone getting along," Barrett said.

"Now now. Watching everyone like a hawk is my job," Vishus spoke, deviously.

"Speaking of your job, Miller's on the phone about the security systems. Can you go deal with him?"

"Of course," Vishus said, as she glanced at Mia and Syren. "Ladies, we'll have to continue our fun and games later."

Vishus strutted past Barrett and headed to the back. After she had disappeared into the rear, Barrett walked closer to the girls, taking Vishus' position next to Syren.

"Thanks," Syren said, with a smile. "I have to admit, she makes me a little uncomfortable."

"Join the club," Mia said, under her breath, loud enough that Barrett could hear her.

"Ladies, trust me. She's harmless, unless you give her a reason not to be," Barrett said, with a quick smile. "I for one am glad you two have called a truce. As popular as Syren has gotten with the customers, I do intend to have her around for a while."

Barrett gently rubbed Syd's back as he spoke.

"Good," Mia said. "Because I like having her around too."

"Thanks," Syd said, with a grin.

"I have a meeting to get to," Barrett spoke to Mia. "I'll see you for lunch?"

"Definitely," Mia said with a smile.

Barrett leaned over the bar, kissing her on the lips. As he did so, Syd couldn't help but notice his thigh grazing her own leg as he did so. That movement also made her uncomfortable.

* * *

To cadets and staff, S.P.D. Earth's Headquarters was always known for its comfortable temperatures. Each corridor, lounge, and bedroom was kept at a comfortable 73º F. This was mainly for the extra-terrestrial populace, whose blood were similar to Earth's cold-blooded animals and needed an environment suitable for living. One alien in particular found the days of late to be particularly chilling, hardly comforting to his dry caramel scales. 

Piggy stood outside the mess doors where a triad of vending machines were placed, leaning on his cane. He was there alone, as most of the Academy's inhabitants were getting a good night's rest, save the night patrol stationed around the perimeters. Most lights were dimmed after hours, the ever-burning fixtures overhead reduced to interval spotlights to provide only adequate visibility but more so to save power. Those who knew Doggie Cruger well knew he was frugal with operation costs, something that Piggy caught onto fast, given the generic selection of items in the vending machine.

_You'd think Kat would at least pop for some Cheddar Ranch Meow Mix and complimentary flashlights..._

The lanky pajama-bottomed alien stared blankly at the contents behind the glass. Moments ago when he thrashed about in bed, his stomach told him he was hungry, so hungry he was desperate enough to eat the carbon-based treats his human counterparts enjoyed. Piggy left his quarters only to find a very limited selection of snacks he would _maybe_ venture to try.

"What's it going to take to get Sour Slime Chips in this place?" Piggy grumbled under his breath.

He roamed about the many items the snack machine offered but there was truly nothing he knew he would enjoy. Deciding to go hungry and return to bed, Piggy turned back..

_Squeak!_

Piggy jumped, mimicking his heart. He spun around to face the mess doors, but he was alone. He looked forward again, but found no one. Piggy's tired eyes stared down the dimmed corridor before him. At night, it seemed to stretch into an endless abyss thanks to half of the lights being switched off. An uneasy feeling settled into Piggy's stomach, but he convinced himself it was nothing.

Or was it nothing? Piggy moved further into the hall with those small ears of his cautious as ever.

_Squeak!_

The rotting heart inside Piggy's chest clenched with startled fear. He knew that was indeed _someone_. He was _not_ alone.

"H-Hello?" Piggy stuttered.

Commotion - it was coming quick in his direction. Two, maybe three cadets out for his head on the charge of first degree murder!

_I'm done for! They know! I'll be in confinement faster than Bridge after a stack of toast!_

Stalking shadows stretched into the light, right into Piggy's. He knew he couldn't run - the mess doors were locked and the only way out was through this very corridor. Closer the shadows came, short bits of maniacal laughter spewing from their merciless lips.

Piggy crumbled into a ball on the floor and screamed. "Please!!!!!"

The shadows were attached to two S.P.D. employees, but neither were cadets and neither bared cuffs or containment-ready morphers. The culmination of foundation settlings, switch clickings, and floor squeakings teased Piggy's heart with the wonder of things that go **bump** in the night, but alas his partly-sheilded eyes met with alien cohorts Ghiren and Niyako.

Piggy moved his arm from his face. "Oh. Hey!"

"Are you okay?" Niyako asked. Her floating pale-brown being lit bright as a heavenly angel beneath the spotlight overhead, a stark contrast to the darkness swelling inside Piggy.

"Fine. Just dandy ... Good night!"

Ghiren and Niyako exchanged befuddled glances as Piggy scurried to his feet and bolted down the corridor not even bothering to use his walking apparatus. His own feet squeaked as he made an abrupt turn around the corner. His hurry to seek sanctuary from the world hit a snag, as he tripped over his cane. Piggy fell onto his bottom with an echoing thud, but that's not all that was heard._Laughter!_

Piggy's eyes opened to the familiar and horrifying face of a girl who was no more, a girl he literally pushed over the edge. It was Elizabeth Delgado. Z's gleeful amusement morphed into narrowed slits and pursed lips, her hands holding her hips.

"For shame, old friend. For shame."

"Ahhhhhh!!!"

Piggy's arms involuntarily shielded his eyes once more as his feet attempted in vain to mobilize him - they were paralyzed with fear. Piggy's beady eyes peaked past his rope-thin arms to meet Z's again, but they hadn't. They met the row of spotlights dotting the corridor before him.

The fear and pain stabbing Piggy's heart subsided completely as he realized he was alone. What he saw was an illusion and his neck twisted about his surroundings to verify. His ears gave the same report - he was alone. Not the smallest sound was made, save the clunky echo of the vending machine from the adjacent hallway he fled.

"Jupiter Jam Wraps, yum!"

It was Ghiren's voice echoing afar. Piggy felt the color return to his face as he got to his feet. The mounting, perpetual guilt of his sin was driving him to madness and crazy illusions of his departed friend. Then it hit.

"Friend ... Z was my friend..."

A heavy sigh left Piggy's mouth as he made the realization. He's said it aloud before on occasion of what Z was to him, but he never felt the meaning of the five-letter f' word until now. Z was his friend and he killed her.

Piggy rubbed his heavy eyes with one hand and continued on back to his quarters.

* * *

There was never a shortage of sunlight on Andruss III. In fact, night never fell on this planet. It's place in a galaxy neighboring the Milky Way was an unlikely one. The planet sat so close to the sun that there was daylight in abundance. The climate was always warm and most of the planet ran on solar power. It seemed fitting that Andruss III was known as the "Horizon Planet." 

Originally the project of a group of scientists looking to revitalize a dead world, Andruss III had become the benchmark in planetary rehabilitation, the perfect place for the home of Space Patrol Delta's leaders. An organization built around protection and rehabilitation thrived amongst the light.

As the hover-tram glided along the air towards the Galactic Council Center, Sky Tate couldn't help but look out into the daylight. Part of him wished he had been arriving hooded and cuffed, because deep inside he knew he was heading in front of a firing squad. It was no secret that his superiors weren't pleased with his actions against Omallix. But here, on this day, Sky knew they weren't the only ones who intended to weigh in on his fate.

The hover-tram came to a stop in front of their destination. Sky watched as Supreme Commander Cruger stepped off the tram first and then helped his wife. The tram hovered about a foot off the ground. After the Crugers had made their exit, Sky stepped off. He was a bit surprised to notice there was no media storm waiting in front of the property. They must be all waiting inside, he thought. Behind him, Officers Quinn Gray and Bridge Carson exited the vehicle, standing at Sky's sides.

While he wasn't under arrest, Sky was still considered to be in custody. He wasn't allowed to go anywhere without an escort. On his left sat Galaxy Command, a steel structure that stuck out of the ground like it had drilled its way through the soil. On the right, Sky saw the building where his future was going to be decided. The Galactic Council Center was in stark contrast to Galaxy Command. Where one was dark and reflective, the other was light and spacious. Galaxy Command was more hard-edged, comprised of rectangular patterns, while the Galactic Council Center was circular shaped. The one thing they had in common was that they were both S.P.D. territory.

He caught sight of the large structure that sat between the two buildings, practically connecting them. While appearing to be decorative in nature, the sun-shaped structure served a major purpose to the two buildings. The metal marvel was a sun catcher. It collected energy from the sunlight and not only stored it, but expelled its energy into the two buildings, allowing them to run on solar power.

As the group approached the Galactic Council Center, they noticed an alien man standing outside. He wore the dignified garments of a Council Representative. While they had no formal uniforms, all of them wore decorative sashes that represented their planets. As they got closer, Sky surmised that the representative must have been quite warm, given what he was wearing. He was clad in black from head to toe, with the exception of a red sash that draped across his shoulder.

Sky could tell instantly that he was from the planet Lynx. Sky knew only two other inhabitants from that ravaged planet – Commander Manx and Doctor Felix. Council This representative resembled Felix in most ways. Males from planet Lynx had very visible feline features. He was no different. His furry face and prominent nose made him appear to be a walking tiger. He bowed slightly as he saw the group's approach.

"Representative Pheon, it's good to see you," Cruger said, as he greeted Pheon with a bow, followed in unison by his wife & officers.

"Anubis, welcome back," Pheon said warmly. "And welcome to the rest of the S.P.D. Earth contingent."

"Thank you," Cruger responded.

Pheon seemed to look straight past him, casting his gaze on the man in the middle.

"You must be Officer Tate," Pheon offered.

"Yes sir," Sky said quickly, standing at complete attention.

"No need to call me sir," Pheon offered, waving off Sky's words. "I was never an officer. I didn't have the courage to do what your father did, or what dogs like Anubis did."

"You're on the Council," Isinia spoke. "You must have done something right."

"Well, I am an excellent negotiator," Pheon said slyly, as he bowed slowly towards the lady. "Besides, the Barconians needed someone to represent their planet. They don't get out this way much."

"So, you represent Barconia?" Quinn asked, curiously. "I didn't know the Galactic Council allowed that."

"Barconia is a major contributor to the efforts of the Galactic Council and Space Patrol Delta," Pheon explained. "As such, they've earned a seat on the Council. Due to their reclusive nature, though, they simply elect an individual outside their planet to sit in the seat."

"So, you're a glorified puppet," Cruger said, jokingly, as he nudged Pheon's shoulder, causing the Lynx native's long tan hair to shake a bit.

"Basically," Pheon said, with a laugh. "I have my own thoughts and opinions, I assure you. I'm just not allowed to use them. I report to the Barconians and they tell me what to do with their vote."

Sky nodded, as he noticed Pheon's laid-back demeanor. It made him feel a bit more comfortable with what was ahead. If the other Council Representatives were this engaging, it might not be so difficult to make them understand what he did and why he did it.

As Pheon continued to entertain the guests with a few jokes, Cruger stiffened as he noticed a tall turquoise-skinned female exit the Council Center. She was heading in their direction and Cruger knew exactly who she was. It was time to get their heads back on the task at hand. The green female wore a plain-looking gray dress that clung to her lanky body. It matched the head covering, that rested atop her skull, which allowed only a large fleshy horn to extend from her brain. The head extension curled behind her head and extended down to her waist. Her large puckered lips appeared to be swollen by human standards, but perfectly normal for her. She bowed as she came to a stop next to Pheon.

"Supreme Commander, welcome," she said cordially.

"Thank you, Tawke," Cruger greeted her. "I assume that President Cali will not be greeting us personally?"

"No," the President's assistant explained. "He is tending to the preparations for the hearing. I will be your liaison. Let me show your party to your anteroom."

Without another word, Tawke turned on her heels and began walking briskly back towards the building. After a nod from Pheon, the group followed.

* * *

One floor above the Purgatory Lounge, Sydney Drew was putting the finishing touches on her golden tresses. They always seemed to flow perfectly from her head, as if every curl was personally perfected. It wasn't true by any means, but Syd enjoyed making it seem so. She smiled as she turned her head slightly to the left and right. 

_Perfect_

She exited the bathroom to her small apartment as she heard a knock at her door. Unlike her former home inside Space Patrol Delta Headquarters Syd couldn't just call out for the person to come in. Automated doors weren't installed here at Purgatory. She walked over and opened the wooden door and saw a pleasant face.

"Mia, hey. Come on in," Syd opened the door completely, allowing Mia to come in. "What's going on?"

"Nothing much," Mia said, with a nod and smile. "I just wanted to check in and see what you were up to."

Syd walked over to the black leather sofa and kneeled into it, grabbing a pillow and using it to rest her elbows on, as she planted her chin on them.

"Well, I just finished my hair. What do you think?"

"It looks good," Mia said with a smile, as she glanced around the place, realizing that not much had changed since she was the tenant.

Then, her eyes caught sight of the dress hanging on the bathroom door. Mia's mouth opened a bit at the sight. She walked closer to the white silk spaghetti-strap dress, which was accented with a blooming pink daffodil pattern.

"This beautiful."

"That old thing?" Syd said, as she thought back to wearing it long ago. "I was actually thinking about wearing something else."

"No," Mia said quickly. "This is perfect. The customers will go nuts."

"Then, I'll have to keep it then. I trust your opinion," Syd said with a smile.

"Pink's my favorite color," Mia said as she ran her hand across the dress, feeling its silk through her fingers.

"Join the club," Syd said, before she could catch herself.

She wasn't sure how much truth she should tell Mia or how much she could trust her. It was a small slip that she was sure she wouldn't make again. Meanwhile, Mia continued to pace around the room, taking it all in, as if being there was a time machine that took her back months. She stopped at the window and looked out at the sunlight shining in.

"You know, Syren, when I lived here, sometimes it was the loneliest place in the world," she said somberly.

Syd frowned a bit, not understanding where Mia was going with her visit. The sound of Mia calling her Syren only reinforced the fact that Syd wasn't there to make friends. She was there for much much more.

"Mia, are you okay?"

"Not really," Mia said, as she turned to Syd, with tears welling up in her eyes. "It's just hard sometimes, you know."

Syd walked right over to her, putting a gentle hand on Mia's arm.

"What is it? What's wrong? Is it Barrett?" Syd asked, keeping her ears open.

"No...Barrett's great," Mia said. "Do you ever just wonder why you're here?"

Syd looked a bit confused. Was Mia trying to tell her something? Had she figured out Syd had been lying about her identity?

"What do you mean?" Syd asked.

"I just feel like it's all gotten so complicated," Mia said. "I just wanted to be happy."

Mia walked away from Syd, trying to halt her own sobbing, as her hands slid into the pockets of her jeans. Her fingers grazed something inside there that made her even more upset.

"What's gotten complicated?" Syd asked, looking concerned.

"The reason I'm here," Mia revealed. "When I lived here, all I ever wanted was to move out."

Syd walked closer to Mia, giving her a comforting smile.

"You got your wish. You're living with Barrett and from what I hear, he's got a pretty nice place."

"It's huge," Mia said flatly. "But apparently it's still not big enough."

"I don't understand."

Mia pulled her hands from her pockets, which forced out the object in her left pocket. The photograph fell to the floor and Syd instinctively bent over to pick it up, just a few seconds faster than Mia. As Syd turned the wallet-sized photo over she saw something that gave her a clue as to what Mia was talking about.

"Who is this?" Syd asked, as she handed the photo back to Mia.

"That's my daughter," Mia said.

Syd was a bit taken aback. The girl in the photograph appeared to be at least ten years old, if not a bit older. Mia herself couldn't have been much older than Syd.

"Your daughter?" Syd said, looking surprised. "I didn't know you had a child."

"It's hard to talk about her, given the circumstances," Mia said, low.

"What circumstances?"

"I...I can't," Mia said, as she rushed out of the door, with Syd close behind.

"Mia! Mia, come back!"

Syd called after her a few more times, but it was too late. Mia was gone. Syd closed the door to her apartment. As she leaned against the closed door and sighed, she wondered what was bugging Mia and what was going on with her daughter.

* * *

On the other side of town, inside S.P.D. Headquarters, Commander Kat Manx was walking with a purpose. As her boots hit the floor, she heard the rhythm of the heels hitting the hard surface. She had walked this specific hallway hundreds of times, practically every day since she came to Earth. But, she hadn't been this way in a while. It hadn't been necessary for S.P.D.'s Commander to visit the main science laboratory. 

Today, however, she had been summoned. As she approached, Kat couldn't help but wonder what Pryce Jensen wanted. Her replacement had asked for her to come down to see something he deemed worthy of her interest. She had no doubt he would use it as an excuse to begin another round of their now-routine banter. While she had thought up a few witty retorts to use just in case, she was about to enter a situation which would leave no time for joking.

The doors to the laboratory opened before her. She walked in and saw Pryce Jensen sitting behind his desk on the other side of the room. He was glancing at a computer screen, as he took notes on a small metallic LCD pad. Kat looked at him for only a second before she saw something else. In the middle of the laboratory was something big. A few inches taller than her and covered with a white sheet, whatever it was appeared to be very wide. Kat looked back at Pryce.

"You called?"

"And you came running...I'm touched," Pryce replied, smiling at her.

Kat almost got lost in his grayish blue eyes, but shrugged her shoulders and looked back at the cloth-covered project.

"Is this what you called me down here for?" she said, as she pointed to the sheet.

"Oh yeah," Pryce said, as he walked over to her. "But first, please brace yourself."

"What?"

"Well, I know how you get when I unveil new goodies. I don't want to have to pull your jaw off the floor and pop your eyes back into their sockets like when I showed you the Blast Buggy," Pryce said, sarcastically.

Kat rolled her eyes, looking annoyed.

"Just show me what you got, Jensen."

"All right, but don't say I didn't warn you," Pryce said, with a smile.

With Kat on one side of the sheet, Pryce walked behind it and swiftly pulled the white cloth off of the project, stunning Kat. The item she was now standing in front of was actually four items, four very large metal items. Pryce peeked around one of the standing pieces of machinery and looked at her.

"See! There goes the jaw!" he exclaimed.

Kat closed her shocked mouth at the sound of his words and walked closer to the apparent creatures. All four of them were completely identical. They were like nothing she had ever seen before. They each stood six and a half feet tall. Their bodies appeared to be completely metal. The silver contrasted with black chest plating which extended from their necks down to their waists. Kat noticed that parts of the machines' bodies were accented with a rubbery cornflower-colored metal, which she could only guess was there to help prevent overheating. The familiar canine emblem of S.P.D. stuck out right in the center. It was almost as familiar as the face of the machines. They were also canine-shaped. It looked as if someone had taken the original design of the Robotic Interactive Canine and mutated it into this hulking upright machine.

"What is this?" Kat said, in a hushed whisper.

"This, Commander, is the Delta X Series patrol drone," Pryce proudly announced, as he walked around to stand next to her. "Hot off the assembly line."

Kat looked even closer. As her eyes traced the design from the neck of one of the machines, she became entranced for a moment with the red stamp on its left shoulder, which reiterated Pryce's revelation about their design.

"These are already branded. This is..." Kat started, but found herself speechless.

"Amazing? Awesome? Hot? A technological breakthrough?" Pryce said, as he glanced at her. "Give me a hint."

"This is...completely unauthorized!" Kat said, as she looked back at Pryce, giving him a furious look. "What have you done?"

"Whoa!" Pryce said, as he threw his hands up. "All I did was facilitate the next generation in S.P.D. hardware."

"These look like killing machines!" Kat said, sternly. "S.P.D. doesn't work that way and you know it."

"They're not killing machines," Pryce said quickly. "You haven't even let me go over the design with you. This is state of the art technology. It's going to take the R.I.C. design to a whole new level. Can you imagine an entire army of robotic S.P.D. Officers on patrol? We could have this whole city protected at every turn."

"I can imagine it, Pryce," Kat said, angrily. "And I don't like what I see! Space Patrol Delta isn't about machines. I don't know how you got authorization for this but I'm putting a stop to it right now!"

Kat headed towards the doors, again walking with a purpose.

"Why are you getting so bent out of shape over this?" Pryce yelled after her.

* * *

The halls of the Galactic Council Center seemed to reach for miles. Sky kept his eyes on Tawke, their acting host, as she led the group down the long, unwinding hallway. It was nothing like he was used to in Space Patrol Delta. Things were always more closed. It was just another difference between S.P.D. and the Council. Sky knew that with his own arrest, the rift between the two organizations was growing larger. 

Finally they reached a small corner. The only things around that corner were a set of steel doors. Tawke pressed in a few commands on the access panel to the right of the doors and they slid open. With Bridge & Quinn still pulling up the rear, Tawke entered first, followed by Isinia, Doggie and Sky. The young alien only stepped a few feet inside and to the left, gesturing for the others to continue on.

The design of the anteroom was simple and functional. There was a large rectangular steel table and four chairs set up in the middle of the room. Three blank LCD pads lay on top of the table, along with a pitcher of water and four glasses. There was also a small communications earpiece, used to relay announcements and messages. The far wall of the room was made entirely of glass. Covered with curtains, the large window looked out upon the neighboring Galaxy Command building. The walls of the room remained undecorated and seemed to be entirely made of untarnished steel. To the right of the room's entrance, was another door. Sky knew that door led to the Council Chamber…and his impending fate.

"I hope you will be comfortable here," Tawke said, speaking to Cruger.

"Yes, Tawke. It's fine," Cruger said.

"Has the opposing advocate arrived?" Isinia asked.

"Yes," Tawke said, as she referred to the LCD pad she carried. "Advocate Grutton has been here for some time."

At the sound of the name, Cruger's face went blank.

"Obla Grutton?" the Sirian asked seriously.

"That's correct," Tawke responded.

"Thank you, Tawke," Cruger said quickly. "That'll be all."

"If you require anything else, please let me know," Tawke said, as she tapped her earpiece.

Cruger merely nodded as Tawke exited. As the doors slid closed behind her, Isinia and Sky both looked worried. Their eyes fell on Doggie.

"Doggie, what is it?" Isinia spoke first.

"Obla Grutton is one of the most ruthless legal advocates in the galaxy," Cruger explained. "He's known for taking the cases of disgruntled criminals who accuse S.P.D. of misconduct."

"Your expression tells me you're worried. Is he that tough?" Isinia said, with a sigh.

"His clients rarely receive a guilty verdict," Cruger said, as he looked to Sky.

Quinn could feel the tension in the room. He followed Cruger's gaze to Sky and saw his worried face.

"So what does that mean for Sky?" Quinn said, showing worried hesitation.

Complete silence fell over the anteroom at that moment. Sky's eyes dropped to the floor.

"It means I'm toast," Sky said simply.

A glimmer of hope popped into Bridge's gaze. "Mmmm, butter--"

"Don't!" Sky said, angrily, as he cut Bridge off, putting up a finger in protest.

Sky turned away from Bridge and walked calmly towards the exit.

"Sky, where are you going?" Isinia said.

"Bathroom," Sky said, after a few moments of tense silence.

Without another word he walked through the sliding doors. With a swift nod, Cruger sent a silent command to Bridge and Quinn. They both followed after Sky. All alone in the anteroom, Isinia grabbed her husband's hand.

* * *

Inside of his office, Barrett Van Tigue wasn't a happy man. In fact, at that moment he was feeling very impatient. As he spoke aloud, helping his ear mounted cell receiver to pick up his voice, Barrett looked exasperated and sounded testy. 

"I don't care, Prax!"

Silence passed as he listened to Prax's nervous words on the other end of the call.

"Listen to me, Prax. Tell them that if they want more money, then I need more results," Barrett said angrily.

Barrett listened intently to Prax's reply.

"Then they need to work harder. You tell them that if they don't hold up their end of the bargain, then they may not be seeing another pay check for a very long time."

Barrett's voice was cold and unfeeling. A quick knock on his office door seemed to completely destroy those feelings. Barrett exhaled.

"Come in."

He watched as the door slowly opened to reveal Syren Dean. Barrett smiled. With his right hand he beckoned for her to enter. He raised the other to his earpiece.

"I'll call you back," Barrett said simply, cutting off Prax, as his alien associate was still talking.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt," she said.

"It's quite all right, Syren. I always have time for you."

"Well, thank you," she said, before showing Barrett a worried glance.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's Mia. I was looking for her. Have you seen her around?"

"Not since this morning. Did something happen between you two?" Barrett asked, as he walked over to Syren from behind his desk, coming face to face with her.

"Not really," Syd replied. "She just seemed upset, more unsettled than anything. I'm worried."

Barrett leaned back against his desk and sighed.

"Mia can be a little...fragile at times."

"I think it has something to do with her daughter," Syd said, as her eyes met Barrett's.

She saw a bit of surprise creep into his gaze.

"She told you about her daughter?"

"It was kind of accidental, but yeah," Syd said.

She watched as Barrett's eyes dropped a bit and he shifted back to his feet completely.

"Look, Syren, it's really great that you're worried about Mia. It's endearing," Barrett said, giving her a slight grin, as he began to memorize her face.

Syd now found that she was the one shifting in her place, nervously.

"Well, we've become friends. I don't like seeing her so troubled."

"That's something we have in common," Barrett said, warmly. "We should talk more, you and I. Get to know each other better."

"Right now I just want to make sure Mia is okay," Syd said quickly.

"Of course. I'm sure she's fine. The situation with her daughter is…unfortunate. She probably just wants some time alone," Barrett explained.

As Syd began to feel Barrett's breath on her skin, she craved distance.

"Well, I'll let you get back to work. If you see her before I do, will you tell her that I hope she's feeling better," Syd said, as she headed for the door.

"I'm sure you'll see her tonight for your performance. She's on the schedule."

"Right. I hope so."

"Thank you, Syren," Barrett said, causing curiosity in Syd.

"For what?"

"For being so concerned for Mia's well-being. You're a great person," Barrett said with a smile.

"Again, I'm sorry I bothered you."

"My door's always open for you, Syren. Remember that," he replied.

Syd simply smiled and closed the door behind her. Syd thought telling Barrett about Mia would make her more calm, but it had only made her more worried.

* * *

Inside a Galactic Council Center restroom, Sky Tate stared into his own eyes via a wall-mounted mirror. He was there alone for only a few seconds before he saw the doors slide open. Through the mirror, he watched Quinn and Bridge enter. He cast his steely gaze upon Bridge for only a moment, before heading to the nearest urinal. Looking disappointed, Bridge walked closer to him. 

"I'm sorry, Sky. I swear I didn't mean to make you mad," Bridge said, sadly. "I was just trying to—"

"I know what you were trying to do," Sky said flatly, as he stared straight ahead for a few more seconds, then turned to Bridge, giving him a look that was slightly less annoyed. "I know."

Bridge nodded.

"You'll get through this," Bridge said sincerely. "I know it looks tough but we've faced tougher and we're all here for you. We're still a team."

"Some team," Sky grumbled, as he continued to relieve himself.

"Yeah, but we've still persevered," Bridge said. "We lost Jack and Z and Syd. We're not gonna lose anymore. We can't."

"I wish I could think like that, Bridge."

"I know it's hard, but you have to see the light at the end of the zord bay," Bridge replied.

"Don't you mean tunnel?"

"Sky, it's 2027. Have you seen any tunnels around?" Bridge said, giving Sky a sarcastic look.

Sky grinned a bit. Bridge smiled.

"Well, my mission's accomplished," Bridge revealed. "I'll let you finish up here. I'll be waiting outside."

Bridge walked through the sliding doors, nodding to Quinn, who stayed behind. As Sky zipped up and began washing his hands, Quinn sighed. Through the large mirror on the wall, Sky looked up at him.

"What's on your mind?" Sky asked.

"The future," Quinn said. "No. Scratch that. Actually, I've been thinking about the past. Who would have thought we'd come this far?"

"I definitely didn't," Sky said, frowning.

"Bridge's right. You can beat this. Rangers have been destroying monsters for decades. They can't send you to prison for saving Earth."

"But, they can," Sky said. "I broke S.P.D.'s rules."

"If I were you, I'd have done the same thing," Quinn said.

Sky turned and faced his half-brother standing across the room by the exit.

"You're the first person who's said that to me," Sky said.

"Yeah. But I'm not on the Council, so that doesn't mean crap," Quinn said, smirking.

"Nice," Sky said, sarcastically.

"What? You didn't think I was gonna get all lovey dovey, did you?" Quinn said.

"I hate you," Sky said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Yeah. I know," Quinn sighed playfully as he stepped up to the doors, causing them to slide open. He looked back at Sky for a brief moment. "I hate you too."

Quinn exited. As Sky heard the gentle swoosh of the doors sliding closed behind Quinn, he smiled.

"Thanks," he said aloud in his brother's direction.

Sky stepped out into the hallway, seeing Bridge and Quinn standing on opposite sides of the doors. The first thing Sky noticed was that they were both looking off down the hallway, where he began to hear a bit of commotion.

"What's going on?" Sky asked, curiously.

"I don't know," Quinn said. "But, I have a feeling it's trouble."

As Sky stood in the middle of the hallway, flanked by Bridge & Quinn, he saw a crowd of reporters at the end of the long corridor. They seemed to be abuzz with chatter, calling out questions to someone. There were so many of them that Sky couldn't even separate the voices enough to tell what they were asking, or who they were asking.

Then, a few inches above the crowd of human and alien journalists alike, Sky spotted a pair of white ears. Clearly not human, they seemed to bob up and down in the middle of the crowd. After a few moments, the trio of S.P.D. Officers finally got a good look at the center of the crowd's attention. He was indeed alien. His ivory-coated skin seemed to shine in the light. His furry ears stood at attention, the left adorned with a golden piercing. The gaudy accessory perfectly complimented his attire. The alien male wore a partially opened silk blazer. The plum-colored garment also shined in the light.

Shining was something that Obla Grutton was used to. He thrived in the spotlight and talking to the press was just another facet of his success that he looked to exploit. As he passed through the crowd, he patted the male reporters on the back and shook hands with the females, treating each as if he or she was an old friend he was visiting personally.

"One at a time, now," Grutton said, confidently holding up his hands to attempt to quiet some of the voices.

"Advocate Grutton," a blond female reporter of human descent called out. "This is the first case you'll be arguing where you're not representing a fellow alien. What brought you to this case?"

"We all need a little justice, I think," Grutton said, with a polite nod, tugging a bit at his open blazer, which exposed his hairy chest. "My client may not be here in the flesh, but that doesn't mean that Mr. Tate won't be held accountable for his actions. I certainly don't mind being the one to prove that to the Council."

Grutton pointed off in the distance at an orange-skinned male in the back.

"Advocate, you have to admit this case is nothing like your previous cases. How will your approach to arguing this hearing change?" the reporter yelled so loud that Sky and his comrades heard him all the way down the corridor.

"Believe it or not, my tactics won't change in the least," Grutton said, as he rocked a bit on his heels. His facial bone structure made it appear that he wore a permanent smile. "Just like always, in the end, the S.P.D. Officer accused will receive a guilty vote."

The clamoring voices flared up once again, drowning out Grutton, who seemed to eat up every moment of the attention. Far down the corridor, Sky's eyes narrowed for just a moment before he walked away, followed by Quinn. Left alone momentarily in the middle of the hallway, Bridge scowled.

"Definitely not buttery," he grumbled.

* * *

Isinia Cruger sat at the table inside the anteroom, fiddling with the communications earpiece she was required to wear while inside the Galactic Council Center. Behind her, she could hear her husband's footsteps as he paced the room. She glanced over at him, seeing Doggie staring at the floor, with his arms gripped behind his back. She sighed. 

"This is going to annoy me to no end," she said, holding up the earpiece.

"It won't be so bad," Cruger said, as he instantly walked over to her and took it in his hand.

He gently lifted her dark locks to get a good look at her pointy ears. Cruger took the large communications device and clasped it onto Isinia's ear. His wife's hand touched his before it could leave her face.

"Thanks," Isinia said warmly, as she gently kissed his hand. "It fits perfectly."

"It should," Cruger said. "I made sure it would."

"The Supreme Commander called in a favor?"

"For you, of course I did," Cruger said with a sly nod.

Isinia chuckled, knowing that the earpieces were modified automatically given how many different species visited the Galactic Council Center. After all, the Council oversaw activities on twelve different planets.

The warm moment between husband and wife was quickly swept away as the door chime sounded. Isinia gave Cruger a curious look, as she stood up.

"Come in," she called out.

As the doors slid open to reveal the visitor, Isinia was still curious. She had no idea who the silver-haired woman was when she stepped inside. Doggie Cruger, however, knew the answer. It was uncharacteristic for him to ever become unsettled, but the mere arrival of the petite human woman was enough to make him so.

"Alaina," Cruger said, in almost a whisper.

"Supreme Commander Cruger," Alaina responded, as she bowed her head a bit.

She walked further into the room, around the table, towards the window. Isinia watched her movement. She appeared to be gliding across the floor, in her long black robes, accented with a navy blue sash. When Isinia saw the small silver badge on the woman's sash, it hit her. She was on the Council.

"Isinia, this is Alaina Doherty," Cruger announced, nervously. "She is Earth's Representative on the Galactic Council."

Isinia watched her husband speak and then looked across the room at Doherty. She could cut the tension between them if she had a knife.

"It's a pleasure," Isinia said to her.

"Agreed," Representative Doherty said quickly. "I have been looking forward to meeting you, Mrs. Cruger. Then again, I guess I should address you as _Advocate_ Cruger," Doherty said.

Isinia nodded happily. She could sense the confidence in Doherty's voice and she liked it. She glanced over at her husband, noticing him shifting a bit in his place.

"It's a tragedy that I was uninformed of so many things going on back on my home planet," Doherty said, as her eyes veered to Cruger.

"Alaina," Cruger said her name quietly.

"I know," Doherty said, her stony demeanor matching the disappointment laced in her voice. "You can _handle_ Earth. That's what you've always told me. But now that you're Supreme Commander, things appear to be falling apart."

"It's complicated," Cruger said abruptly.

"I know it is. Even more so for me," Doherty said, sternly. "You should have seen the Council when we all heard what Officer Tate did. They looked to me for answers. I couldn't give them any."

"I'm sorry I haven't brought you in on this, Alaina," Cruger said. "I apologize for not doing it. Things have gotten out of hand, but we've been handling it the best way possible."

"The best way _you_ thought possible," Doherty said, disappointed.

She walked towards the doors, but paused briefly in front of Doggie.

"It's a sad day for Earth," she said, before stepping back out of the anteroom.

As Isinia watched her husband's gaze fall to the floor once again, she became unsettled herself. She closed her eyes and tried to steady her own spirit, keeping her mind on her case and the arguments she was now sure she would have to make to the entire Council because no vote would be handed to her, or Sky.

* * *

"I'm crackin' up, Doc!" 

It wasn't a phrase Dr. Sevarus heard often in his profession. But sure enough, his latest patient had told him just that. For a few seconds, Sevarus thought it might be true. While he had found nothing medically wrong with him, Piggy was exhibiting strange behavior. Even now, as he sat on the examination bed in the Infirmary, he nervously rocked from side to side and fumbled with his fingers, as if they were about to detach and sprint away. Shivan had spent the last hour trying to calm him.

"Piggy, I assure you that you aren't crazy," he explained. "I've checked for every possible sign of dementia. You don't have it. What is it exactly that you think you've been seeing?"

It was that question that got Piggy to stiffen up a bit. Sevarus watched his eyes staring at the floor.

"It's history," Piggy said. "Not really important. I just can't seem to shake this feeling that someone's watching me."

Sevarus peeked down at the LCD pad in his hand, re-checking the readings.

"I don't know, Piggy. You look fine. You've recovered well from your injuries. You won't even need the cane for too much longer, given your improved movement."

"Yeah, I know," Piggy grumbled, thinking back to his night of terror.

"Well, if you want my advice, I say relax. I know things have been stressful around here since Officer Delgado's death," Sevarus said.

"And if that doesn't work?" Piggy asked.

Sevarus sighed. "Get to the root of the problem. Confront it. There's an old Earth saying that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. There's nothing here in S.P.D. that can hurt you, Piggy, especially if you haven't done anything wrong."

As he helped ease Piggy off the bed, Sevarus gently patted him on the back, leading him to the doorway. Piggy took a deep breath and walked through the doors, peeking out and checking the corridor for a certain ghostly apparition. He saw nothing.

"All clear?" Sevarus asked aloud.

Piggy nodded and stepped into the hallway, begining his route back to his room. As he reached the end of the corridor, he got the sudden feeling that he wasn't alone...again. The squeak of a footstep on the polished floors was enough to make him jump, instantly turning to see...nothing at first. Until he tilted his head downward a few inches.

"Sam! Don't sneak up on me like that, kid!"

"Sorry, Piggy. Were you coming from the Infirmary?"

"Yeah," Piggy said, lowly.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine, kid. Just fine."

"You sure?"

"What's with the 20 questions?" Piggy asked, impatiently.

Sam frowned. "I was just trying to..."

"Trying to what?"

"Trying to be a friend. That's all," Sam said, as he turned and walked away in a huff.

Piggy shuddered as the dreaded f'word had come up once again. He couldn't be Sam's friend, he thought. If he killed his last friend, he couldn't imagine what would become of another.

* * *

Inside of her office, Commander Kat Manx stared intensely at the blank computer screen in front of her. The monitor may have been black, but Kat saw a lot in the barrenness. She had replayed her earlier encounter over and over in her head. Even so, her mind was still swimming in controversy. The sound of her door chime knocked her from her trance. She swiveled in her seat to face the door. 

"Yes," she called out.

With that command, the doors slid open. Kat released a silent curse as she saw Pryce enter. Kat was a bit surprised. It wasn't often that she saw Pryce frown, but he certainly wasn't paying her a social call. He walked quickly over, dropping an LCD pad on her desk. Kat didn't move as she glanced up, seeing him staring at her. After only reading a few words on the pad, she knew exactly what it said.

"Why are you doing this?" Pryce asked, looking confused.

Kat picked up the pad, as she stood up from her chair, staring at Pryce across the desk.

"I'm halting all work on the Delta X Series robots," Kat said sternly. "You should keep this order for your records."

Kat handed the pad back to Jensen. While his eyes never left hers, he took it back.

"You haven't even bothered to learn anything about them," Pryce said. "This technology can only help us."

"You had no right to start it," Kat said, looking incredulous.

"I didn't start it!" Pryce replied, annoyed at her insinuation.

"What?"

"I didn't create the Delta X Series project. When the prototypes arrived here yesterday, my orders were to assess their programming and begin field testing," Pryce explained.

"Your orders from who? Why wasn't I informed of any of this?" Kat said, angrily.

"My orders came from higher up," Pryce revealed. "I assumed you had been informed until your freak out earlier in the lab."

"I didn't freak out," Kat sneered at him. "This project is a huge undertaking. Supreme Commander Cruger would have informed me."

"Obviously there's been some breakdown in communication, but that doesn't mean you should stop my work."

"I am stopping it," Kat replied quickly. "These robots are not the future of Space Patrol Delta. We can't put the fate of this city into the hands of brainless machines."

"I don't get you," Pryce said, finally. "Everything we use around here is dependent on technology, even the Rangers' morphers are designed to give out guilty verdicts. What makes these robots so different?"

"It takes investigation. It takes instinct and heart and courage to press that button and know when to use judgment mode. It's not up to the machine," Kat said.

"Don't you even want to look at the research and the schematics? It's cutting edge stuff. Vanguard X didn't design them to work alone. They don't even operate without human vocal commands," Pryce explained.

"Vanguard X created them?" Kat said, looking stunned.

"Yeah. They design most of the parts we use around here. You can't be surprised," Pryce said.

"I am surprised. They don't go this far for S.P.D. without some kind of authorization."

"Who says they didn't have it?" Pryce inquired. "Just because Cruger didn't run to you over this doesn't mean that something fishy's going on."

"This isn't about Doggie!"

"Are you sure?" Pryce said. "Because it seems to me you're just itching to call him. You know, the last time I was in here I teased you about keeping things from your old lab. But, you told me that you were always going to be a scientist, no matter what. Why can't you be a scientist now?"

"Because the safety of this city and this base is up to me," Kat replied, showing him her quiet resolve.

"You can't tell me you're not intrigued."

"I can tell you...that I'm troubled," Kat said, giving Pryce a cold stare. "There's no such thing as a robotic officer."

Pryce's gaze wavered from Kat's as he headed back for the doors, stopping as they slid open in front of him. He turned his head back to Kat for just a moment.

"Tell that to Sophie," Pryce said seriously, before disappearing into the corridor, leaving Kat even more troubled.

* * *

Above the Purgatory Lounge, Sydney Drew found herself pacing. It wasn't something she did often in her twenty-two years of life. Syd was more used to sitting back and watching things play out. It was the nature of living a charmed life. Even though her years in S.P.D. had required her to be much more proactive, her current predicament had managed to put her on edge. Her last encounter with Mia Storm had her scared. Part of her was concerned for Mia's state of mind, after her distraught revelation about her daughter. Another part of Syd was worried because Mia had become her strongest link to Purgatory and it was a connection she couldn't lose. As she started to circle her living room once again, she heard a knock at her door. Without hesitation, Syd quickly walked over, opening it. Mia Storm stood on the opposite side of the doorway. 

"Mia," Syd said, her voice high, tinged with satisfaction.

She motioned for Mia to enter and her guest did so. Mia still looked troubled, Syd thought, as she closed the door and turned to her, seeing her fumbling with her keys.

"I've been worried about you," Syd said. "Is everything okay?"

After a few tense moments, Mia looked up at Syd, with watery eyes.

"Today's her birthday," Mia said.

"Your daughter's?"

Mia nodded, confirming the news.

"I've been sitting in my car for hours trying to start it and get to her. I only have a few hours and It's so important for me to see her, especially today. It's just...it gets harder every time," Mia explained.

"I don't understand."

"If you drive me, I'll explain everything," Mia said, as she began to cry a bit.

"What about Barrett?" Syd asked.

"He's off at some meeting. I really have to go now or it'll be too late," Mia said, extending her hand to Syd, holding out her car keys. "Please, Syren."

Syd looked into the eyes of a mother and she knew she couldn't refuse. She took the keys from Mia's hand and smiled.

* * *

The Galactic Council Chamber was a massive space. Despite it's high ceiling of domed glass and the sheer size of the chamber, it was a quaint area. The simple furniture that occupied the room, mixed with the white curtains decorating the walls, helped it to exude a calm serenity. The jet-black Council altar was certainly the centerpiece of the room. Near the back wall, the long two-leveled table had seven chairs of differing sizes, to match the representative who would be seated in them. A level above the rest, in the middle was the chair belonging to the Galactic Council President, who would be presiding over the hearing. 

Several feet in front of the altar, two small metal tables were set up. The silver pieces each had two matching chairs sitting empty behind them. They were set up to serve the advocates and their parties. A few feet behind the advocates' tables were rows of bench seating, filled with bystanders, witnesses and press. Light chatter could be heard throughout the room, as guests and witnesses had gathered for the hearing.

Sitting in the front row on the right side of the Council's altar, Doggie Cruger was joined by Bridge Carson and Quinn Gray. Silence was the only thing passing between those three, as they had managed to evade any questions from the press to get inside the Chamber.

The room featured four different exits. The first was at the back wall, directly behind the altar. It led to the Council's private deliberation room, where most of their meetings were held. Two doors were located on the walls around the altar. These led to the anterooms inhabited by the advocates. Finally, at the front of the room was a large public entrance. The anteroom entrance to the left slid open and Obla Grutton walked in, causing increased chatter, especially amongst the press.

His reputation preceded him and the press knew he was going to be getting himself in the zone for his opening statement and therefore would not answer questions. Although he was all-business, he carried himself jovially, as he made his way to his table, eyeing Supreme Commander Cruger along the way. Moments later, the chatter was at an all-time high. The doors to the right anteroom slid open and Isinia Cruger stepped inside the chamber, followed closely by Sky Tate.

Upon seeing the accused, the excitement in the room reached a whole new peak. Sky trudged forward, making his way to his seat, ignoring the whispers and the clamoring voices. He waited for Isinia to sit, before joining her at the table. As he saw her glance back at her husband and nod, Sky thought of his own lost love. It had been over a month since he had seen Sydney Drew. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever see her again. If the Council decided to send him to prison, his question would be answered.

Isinia took the opportunity to glance across the room at her opponent in these proceedings. Obla Grutton sensed her eyes looking in his direction and he turned to her, sending a silent nod in her direction. Isinia easily judged character, but Obla Grutton was a tough one. Maybe it was because his golden eyes were so narrow and rested within his cranium, making it hard to get a good look. Isinia nodded back, as if she were accepting his invitation to a duel.

Seconds later, the doors behind the Council's altar slid open. Isinia watched the six Council Representatives enter, each taking a seat in their assigned chairs. Only two were familiar to her, as she had met Alaina Doherty and Pheon earlier. Moments later, President Cali entered, followed by his emerald-skinned assistant, Tawke, who sat at a tiny desk set up beside the doorway behind Cali's seat. As he took his seat, he pressed a button on the altar. A gentle ring echoed throughout the chamber, signaling that the hearing was underway.

"I am Ottomus Cali," he announced. "As the President of the Galactic Council, I welcome everyone to these proceedings."

As Cali spoke, Sky stared directly at him, owning the burden which he had laid on the shoulders of most in that chamber, thanks to his actions.

"Sky Tate, you are charged with violating the Space Patrol Delta code of conduct, a code that was developed within these very walls. However, this Council is open to reason, which brings us here today," Cali explained. "This hearing will give your advocate the opportunity to prove to us that your actions were warranted. The final decision is up to the Council. Do you understand this?"

"Yes, Mr. President," Sky said, causing a few gasps to be heard from the gallery.

"At this time I will proudly introduce the Representatives of the Galactic Council," Cali said, as he stood proudly.

Beginning on his right, he nodded to each of the council members as he introduced them. A small lighted panel was attached to the altar in front of each member of the Council. Whenever one of them spoke or cast a vote, the panel would light up appropriately, alerting everyone in the room. The first lighted panel came on.

"Representing the planet Divalia is Karina Kevlar," Cali spoke.

As Isinia eyed the representative at the end, she realized it was the first time she had ever seen a female Divalian. S.P.D.'s current Chief of Medicine, Shivan Sevarus was the only Divalian she knew. The female looked to be a bit older than Sevarus and unlike him, she didn't have the tentacles that spiked out of the sides of Shivan's head, a trait only present in males of the species. Her black robes made her appear to be even smaller in stature than the other members of the council. The white sash she wore seemed to match the drapery of the room. Cali moved to the next member, seated next to Representative Kevlar. The light panel in front of Representative Pheon lit up.

"Representing the planet of Barconia is Pheon," Cali announced.

Representative Pheon gave a subtle nod to the room, as he was introduced. He leaned back in his chair a bit, appearing to be more comfortable than the other members.

After introducing Earth's representative, Alaina Doherty, who was seated directly to Cali's right, he turned his attention to the next Council member, seated directly to his left. As the light on the representative's panel lit up, Doggie stared at him.

"Representing Triforia is Trecineas," Cali said.

As Trecineas' eyes scanned the crowd, they found Doggie's pupils gazing back. Doggie couldn't help but think back to their last meeting on Triforia. Trecineas had revealed that he would not vote to send Sky to prison. Cruger couldn't help but wonder if it was a subtle ultimatum to pressure Cruger to keep things quiet in dealing with the Triforian S.P.D.'s scandal dealing with the Barconian convoy incident.

Meanwhile, Cali had his sights on the next Council Representative, whose light panel was now shining.

"Next, representing the planet of Aquitar, Delphine," Cali spoke.

Next to Cruger, Quinn's eyes widened a bit. He knew exactly who Delphine was. Most Rangers did. He breathed a bit easier, as he realized that a former Power Ranger was on the Council. He had studied her missions on Earth and Aquitar during his classes at the Academy. Her days as the White Ranger were considered legendary. The final light on the altar was not lit, as Cali cast his gaze on the last member seated there.

"Finally, representing the planet of Fernovia is Urgundii," Cali revealed.

Seated next to Quinn, Bridge glanced at the male Fernovian. His thoughts veered back to the last time he was in the presence of one. The alien Hydrax had come to Earth with the intention of robbing banks. She had almost gotten away with her crimes, but it was his effectiveness as a detective that had caught onto her plot and her ability to transform herself into a human female. Bridge saw that Urgundii remained in his native form. Unlike most of the Council representatives, he didn't wear any special robes. Representative Urgundii did, however, wear an olive-colored sash, which featured his Council badge, like the others.

Cruger himself had thoughts of Fernovians, but he wasn't thinking of Hydrax. Representative Urgundii had sought him out several times in the last year, as Fernovia was dealing with several serious bombings on their planet by a rogue group of terrorists, who had been holding the planet hostage until they met their monetary demands. The situation was still out of control and Cruger knew that Urgundii wasn't happy about it or Cruger's attention, or lack thereof.

As President Cali took his seat again, he pressed the sound button in front of him, signaling that the next phase of the hearing was about to begin. The echoing ring filled the room and it was followed by instant silence.

"Advocate Grutton," Cali called out. "Proceed with your opening statements."

"Thank you, Mr. President," Grutton said, quickly, as he stood up. "Also, thank you to the Council for allowing me to stand before you on this day. It's never a happy occasion when a hearing is scheduled, but we all must do what is right for the galaxy."

Grutton turned away from the Council altar and looked directly at Sky.

"Schuyler Tate didn't do what was right on the day in question. I would boldly state that every being in this room is familiar with the events of January 18, 2027. It is no question that Earth was under attack from a galactic menace," Grutton said, confidently, as he turned back to the altar.

"But sadly, Officer Tate chose to become a bigger menace," Grutton said, forcefully.

Sky's calm demeanor was shattered in that moment. Seeing the scowl form on his face, Isinia placed a gentle paw on his hands, which were clasped together on the table. While his breathing quickened a bit, he worked to remove the frown.

"Officer Tate not only chose to destroy life on that day, but I intend to prove to the Council that his behavior was part of a disturbing pattern that began long before that day. Officer Tate went over the edge and killed another human being. For that, I intend to show that he should be punished," Grutton said, as he glanced in Sky's direction again, drawing his ire.

"Sadly, there are few witnesses to call. You see, S.P.D. Earth has become a hive for questionable behavior," Grutton continued. "Missing cadets, mysterious deaths, disappearing witnesses…it's all quite disappointing and it leads beyond Officer Tate, all the way up to our very own Supreme Commander!"

Cruger's eyes narrowed on the alien man as he pointed directly at him. In a matter of moments, Obla Grutton managed to completely destroy any sense of hope that this hearing would be handled with care and respect from the advocate. Grutton was indeed out for blood and Sky Tate was the intended prey.

* * *

Back on Earth, Commander Kat Manx found herself once again walking the corridors of the Delta Command Base. Armed with a full head of confusion over the situation concerning the Delta X Series, Kat turned a corner heading for the Command Center. She got a few feet away when she heard an approaching bark. She looked off down the hallway and saw Murphy trotting in her direction. The Rangers had adopted Murphy as their own after the destruction of R.I.C. and the death of Murphy's previous owner, Commander Silverback. 

After giving the patrol hound a smile and pat on the head, Kat stepped up to the doors to the Command Center, which slid open. She walked in with a happy sigh, nodding to Ghiren and Niyako, the two technicians on duty at their aft stations. She walked over to Sophie, who was working at the main control console in the center of the room.

"All quiet?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am," Sophie said, quickly. "Which is a good thing."

"Definitely," Kat said, as Sophie handed her a small LCD pad. Kat glanced at the information on it. "So, nothing out of the ordinary since I last checked in?"

"Not a thing," Sophie said. "It's kind of weird."

"Why's that?"

"Well, we still haven't pinpointed exactly why that criminal Relliot attacked Sam and B-Squad. It was a fair containment, since he had escaped prison and attacked the cadets, but why?" Sophie said, curiously.

"I don't know. He's resisted all of our efforts to question him. For now, I guess it'll remain a mystery," Kat said, disappointed.

"Too bad," Sophie said, as she walked away from the console, headed towards one of the other stations.

Kat watched her walk away and began to replay some of the things that Dr. Jensen had forced her to think about earlier. As Kat heard Murphy's gears creaking as he lay down near the doorway, she glanced back at Sophie.

"You really think it's too bad?" Kat asked curiously.

Sophie turned back to her, looking a bit confused.

"Sure," Sophie said. "It would be easier to close the case if we had a motive, wouldn't it?"

"Of course," Kat said, with a polite smile. "Sometimes I forget that even though you're a cyborg, you still think and feel like the rest of us."

Sophie walked back over to Kat in the center of the room. She took a deep breath.

"It's true that I'm more gears than bones, but I'm grateful that my designers made me feel so…normal. You don't exactly blend into the normal Newtech City crowd either, Commander."

"I know," Kat said, troubled.

"Is this about me being Pink Ranger?" Sophie asked, as he began to look more uncomfortable. "I know I haven't really proven myself on the battlefield, but I am trying. I know how to follow Bridge's lead."

"I know that Sophie," Kat said, giving he a reassuring smile. "I've got no complaints where you're concerned."

"Good," Sophie said. "I know you & Supreme Commander Cruger are taking a chance on me because cyborgs aren't supposed to serve. I understand that's why this is only temporary."

Kat nodded along with Sophie, as she looked into her eyes. It was almost as if she could see real life in there. It was then that Kat realized she had always seen Sophie as a person, because that's what she was, in every way that mattered. Her mind veered to the four robots in the science lab.

"Sophie, I just want to tell you that if it was possible to do so, I would assign you to become Pink Ranger permanently," Kat said, putting a hand on Sophie's shoulder.

"Thanks, Commander," Sophie said as she walked back over to her station and got back to work.

Kat sighed heavily, grumbling on the inside, knowing that she would have to pay Dr. Jensen another visit.

* * *

Inside the Galactic Council Chamber, Isinia Cruger found herself addressing the delegates. With the Council, everything was decided based on opinion. Who knew exactly what could sway those opinions? As Sky's advocate, Isinia wanted to make sure she covered all bases. 

"Council Representatives, I know that you have all read the reports on what happened the day of January 18, 2027," Isinia said. "But, these proceedings are less about details and more about ideals. We all know that as well."

Isinia couldn't help but glance at Obla Grutton seated in his chair, exhibiting perfect posture, while her own very pregnant body walked slightly slumped over.

"I know that my fellow advocate knows this and that's probably why he never spoke the name of the being that Sky Tate destroyed," Isinia spoke. "Omallix was ruthless. His reign of terror led to the deaths of over 6500 in Newtech City and surrounding areas. He may have been human by birth, but by death he could barely be classified as such."

Isinia's gaze left Grutton as she saw him shaking his head in disagreement. She turned back to face the Council, hoping not to see any of the same expressions. She didn't. They all sat stone-faced, as if they were statues, taking in each and every word she spoke.

"I was there. I bore witness to the destruction firsthand and I saw the aftermath. Lives were destroyed. In the heat of a desperate battle, Sky Tate made a decision. He chose to protect not only himself and his team, but he chose to protect the lives of all of the innocents, scarred by the gross desperation of a madman," Isinia explained. "I intend to prove to each of you that Sky Tate did not act maliciously. He did his duty. He protected Newtech City from evil."

Isinia finished her opening statement and returned to her table. Before she sat down, she glanced at each of the Council members, hoping to see some sort of acknowledgement that they believed what she said. But, she received nothing. She gingerly maneuvered her pregnant body into her chair. This time it was Sky who put a hand on hers, patting her paw gently in silent thanks.

* * *

On the roof of the Delta Command Base, a crisp breeze was the only thing present amongst the sunshine. But soon, the sound of bending metal invaded the area. The rooftop hatch raised and Piggy made his way onto the roof. Part of him was scared out of his mind and the other part was...scared by his mind. 

"Confront it," Piggy repeated over and over.

He walked slowly towards the edge of the rooftop, holding tight to his walking stick. He reached the edge and as his foot kicked a stray rock over it, he thought back to the last time he was there...with her.

_Come on, Piggy. Just do it. Confront your fear._

"You're not dead and you want to stay that way. That's why you did it," he spoke aloud.

"Keep telling yourself that, Piggy!"

Piggy's body seemed to turn went still, as he didn't move a muscle upon hearing her dark voice behind him. A cold shiver passed over his spine, as his head began to twitch with fear. Still standing near the edge, he turned around and he saw her, seemingly glowing yellow in the sunlight.

"Z-z-zz," Piggy stammered, as he struggled to get ahold of himself.

"I tried to help you, Piggy," Z said, this time more calm than before.

It was as if each syllable of her speech broke a piece of his humanity she had helped to build. Piggy had never felt this way before.

"You killed me!" she shouted, her demeanor changing in an instant.

"I-I'm sorry."

"Sorry?! Look at me!"

Piggy's eyes could do nothing else. But she was not like Z at all. He could see right through her glowing form. She didn't have the life or the zest of his friend. His eyes closed a bit as the f-word haunted him once again.

"What can I do?" Piggy blubbered, as he struggled not to drop to his knees and cower at her ghostly feet.

"Live or die, Piggy! I don't care anymore. But know this, I will be there with you every step of the way. You show no signs of repentance, so here I am, with you for an eternity."

Piggy opened his eyes a bit and jumped in fear, as he saw her ghostly presence much closer. One foot veered too close to the edge. Within a second, Piggy lost his footing and slipped over. Quickly, grabbing at the ledge with one hand, as his other still clutched his cane.

"Ahhhhh!" Piggy screamed at the top of his lungs, knowing that this was it.

Death had arrived. He had killed Z and she had managed to do the same to him, even beyond the grave. Piggy closed his eyes, as he felt his grip slowly slipping.

_I'm sorry._

"Piggy, hold on!"

Piggy's eyes popped open as he saw young Sam holding onto his hand. As Sam helped Piggy grip the ledge again, he reached out for Piggy's other arm. Piggy raised his cane. Sam grabbed the stick. Using all of his strength, Sam helped to pull Piggy to safety. As they both lay on the rooftop, gasping for breath, Piggy regained his senses. His head shifted quickly, checking for any signs of _her_. There were none. The only other being on the rooftop was Sam. It was at that moment that Piggy realized the boy had saved his life.

"Thanks...kid," Piggy said, in-between his gasps.

Sam simply stared at Piggy. He had more questions, but he had a feeling he would get the same response as earlier if he asked. He didn't want to alienate Piggy. In fact, Sam wanted to get closer to Piggy, because it made him feel closer to Z. Little did he know, that he was closer than ever to the truth.

* * *

Back on Andruss III, the Galactic Council President was once again addressing everyone. 

"This is a tense situation for all parties," Cali said. "It is not often that we are faced with death, but here we are. Before we proceed, it is customary to hear from each of the Representatives, who will share their current thoughts on the case."

This was the point in the hearing that Isinia had been looking forward to the most. Members of the Council would tell them what they considered to be crucial elements of the case. It was a pivotal time because it would allow the advocates to tailor their arguments to what the Council was concerned about. The light panel in front of Karina Kevlar lit up first.

"This is most certainly a troubling case," she spoke, her voice cracking with age, yet oozing with grace and respect. "For me, this case is about the facts. I was not present on the date in question and opinion is extremely subjective. By the end of this hearing I know that it will be the facts that lead me to my decision."

As both advocates nodding along, listening intently, the next panel lit up in front of Pheon. The Lynx native had been leaning back casually in his chair for most of the hearing. He corrected his posture for only a second, before leaning onto the altar in front of him, with one paw clenched beneath his chin. He looked to be staring directly into Sky's soul. After a few silent moments, he sighed.

"I have to admit I've found this case to be intriguing, but as always it isn't about me," Pheon said seriously. "I represent the Barconians and their biggest concern is cause. Their vote will hinge upon how these events came to be. Did Officer Tate have probable cause to commit the crime in question?"

Next in line to speak was Earth's Alaina Doherty. As her panel lit up, you could hear a pin drop in the room. Everyone wanted to hear what she had to say, especially Doggie Cruger.

"It is my opinion that at the heart of this case is duty. It goes hand-in-hand with every action that an S.P.D. Ranger is called to perform," Doherty said. Her voice was strong, yet reserved, but always steady. "I plan to weigh this case based on whether I believe Officer Tate did his duty."

Isinia nodded slowly, knowing that Doherty's point could be a crucial one for her to prove to the Council, especially Doherty, given her tension with Cruger. Skipping over President Cali in the middle, the light panel in front of Representative Trecineas activated.

"Everyone here knows the grand tradition of respect that exudes from my home planet of Triforia," Trecineas said. "For me, this is a situation based on one thing and that is protection. In the end, after all is said and done, an S.P.D. Ranger's job is to serve and protect. My vote will be rooted completely in that."

Cruger growled on the inside. He knew that Trecineas was completely correct in his feelings on protection. Cruger had seen up-close just how far Trecineas would go to protect his branch of Space Patrol Delta. Next on the altar to speak was Delphine.

"Much like our neighbors on Triforia," Delphine spoke calmly. "We on Aquitar have a long tradition in Ranger history. Despite that, we have always been a culture based around honor. My vote in this case will also follow along those lines. I hope that the testimony presented here will make the ideals behind this situation much clearer."

Last on the altar was the Fernovian representative, Urgundii. As his panel lit up, everyone in the chamber could see him slightly fidgeting. As he clasped his leafy fingers together to stop their movement, he looked out upon the crowd. Sounding slightly stressed, Urgundii spoke.

"After hearing the opinions of my fellow representatives on this Council, I am encouraged. We all seem to have taken different perspectives on this case," Urgundii said, drawing a few glances from his follow council members. "In all honesty, given recent events on my own homeworld, I have seen the destruction that can come from evil forces. Therefore, I don't believe I will be able to ignore the emotional aspects of this case. There are always concrete facts, but there is also the personal element. I won't turn a blind eye to it. I couldn't."

Urgundii's emotion stunned most in the room. They all knew it was a personal decree about his planet's current turmoil at the hands of terrorists. After a few tense moments, the light panel in front of Urgundii went dark. Part of Isinia wanted to reach out to him, but she stayed still, like most in the room. The light in front of President Cali activated.

"I'm sure we can all understand heightened emotions," Cali spoke warmly, as he nodded to Urgundii, before turning his gaze back to the gallery. "As President of the Council, my vote is only used in the event of a tie. I will try my best to follow the thinking of everyone on the Council to make an informed opinion based on what is best for Space Patrol Delta, for that is what the Council is here for."

Cali's words were met with nods from the advocates and many of the press and bystanders in the gallery behind them. Sky, however, was unmoving.

"The next phase of the hearing will begin in two days," Cali said. "At that time the first witnesses will be called. We will adjourn until then."

Cali sounded the now-familiar ring that echoed throughout the room. In a matter of moments, the members of the Galactic Council had retreated back through the doorway behind their altar. As those in the gallery began to disperse, Obla Grutton walked right into the midst of the excited press, fielding questions immediately. Sky stared at him, until Isinia put a hand on his back, gently pushing him forward, towards the exit to their anteroom. Cruger, Quinn and Bridge followed. As the doors to the anteroom closed behind them, Isinia sighed, rubbing her belly.

"Are you okay?" her husband asked her.

"I guess that turned out to be a little more tense than I was expecting," Isinia said, as she glanced over at Sky who was now staring out the window. "Sky, what about you?"

Silence passed in the room for what seemed to be the longest five seconds in history. Sky turned to them both.

"I'm scared."

Seeing Sky's frowning face and hearing his worried words, Doggie knew that he couldn't remain powerless to the process. It wasn't Cruger's style and he had proven for decades that he didn't change for anyone.

* * *

Lincoln Grove was located approximately 28 miles away from Newtech City. Made up mostly of residential suburbs, Syd never had much time to return here. While she was born in Newtech City, her family resided here, along with many other wealthy families. Even today she hadn't expected to visit this place, or even leave Newtech City, but Mia's call for her help had compelled her. Behind the wheel of Mia's red caprice classic convertible, Syd followed Mia's verbal directions, which she gave out in between sobs. 

The trip didn't seem to take much time at all, since Mia had used it to inform Syd of exactly where she was taking her. Syd had found herself even more enthralled by Mia's story. She had given birth at fifteen to her daughter. Disowned by her family, Mia was unable to support a child and her daughter had spent years in the custody of child services. Mia was allowed weekly visitation. As she had detailed to Syd, she desperately wanted her daughter back, but her career as a bartender hadn't inspired much confidence in her social worker.

As they pulled up in front of the building, Syd looked out the driver's side window and was instantly saddened. The one-level building looked more like a child detention facility than a group home. The tall chain-link fence that surrounded it included barbwire rings around the top. Syd glanced at a small playground within the property. She saw a few children running and playing. Still, the place didn't make her feel comfortable at all. She glanced over at Mia sitting in the passenger seat, frantically wiping the tearstains from her bright pink blouse. She glanced into her visor's mirror and checked her face to make sure there were no remnants of her prior breakdown.

"Well, how do I look?" Mia asked her.

"Ready to see your little girl," Syd said sincerely.

"Thanks," Mia said, as she grabbed a large gift bag out of the back seat.

Mia exited the vehicle and walked around to Syd's door and she began staring at Syd.

"So, you coming?" Mia asked.

"I thought you'd want to be alone," Syd said.

"I could use the moral support. I don't want her to see me get too emotional," Mia said.

"Okay," Syd said.

Without another word, she followed Mia over to the security guard who announced her arrival via handheld radio. Part of Syd was crushed at the state of futuristic care for children. They certainly seemed more like prisoners than kids.

Once inside the large building, the two were led to a small playroom, where several young girls were playing. Syd noticed Mia's smile appear instantly at the sight of one. Upon seeing her mother, the girl ran fast as lightning over to her. Syd smiled at the reunion of mother and child. The hug alone seemed to last for minutes.

"Happy Birthday, sweetheart."

"I'm so glad to see you, mom," the young girl spoke, as a tear streamed down her own face. "I didn't think you were gonna make it."

"Of course I made it," Mia said. "I promised you that I would never miss it."

The young girl grinned at her mother and hugged her again. That was when she noticed the short blond who had arrived with her mother. She gave her mother a curious look.

"Oh, this is a friend of mine," Mia said, as she motioned to Syd. "Syren Dean, meet my daughter, Anna Storm."

"Hi Anna," Syd replied, as Anna instantly extended a hand shaking Syd's. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks," Anna said with a smile. "I like your hair."

"That's so sweet. It took practically forever this morning," Syd said, with a giggle.

Mia presented the gift bag to her daughter and Anna dropped it to the floor, sticking her hands inside and pulling out a large brown teddy bear, outfitted with a red scarf.

"He's beautiful," Anna said. "Thank you, mom."

"I thought you'd like it," Mia said, as she stooped next to her daughter, hugging her again.

While still holding her close, Mia whispered into her daughter's ear.

"I have something else for you too. You have to keep this one quiet," she spoke, her lips close enough to Anna that no one could hear.

Syd watched the two closely, as Mia's eyes searched the room, looking for anyone of authority. Syd noticed quickly transfer a small cell phone from her pocket to Anna's.

"It has a silent ringer, so no one will hear it," Mia said. "Anytime you need me, call me."

"I love you mommy," Anna said, as she hugged her tighter.

After a few more moments of celebration and Anna showing her mother the gifts that her few friends had made for her, they were interrupted.

"Ms. Storm?"

Mia looked up and a frown appeared on her face as she saw her child's social worker had arrived.

"Hi, Mrs. Bradshaw."

"It's good to see you. Anna had a very big day today."

"She's been telling me all about it."

"Wonderful. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to speak to you for a moment, alone," Mrs. Bradshaw said.

Mia's hand clutched her daughter's a bit stronger.

"It's okay, mommy," Anna said, smiling. "Syren will keep me company."

Syd nodded happily. Mia joined Mrs. Bradshaw at the far end of the playroom. They were too far away for Syd to read their lips, but whatever the older woman was telling Mia was hitting her hard.

About an hour later, Syd and Mia found themselves back on the road to Newtech City. Syd had resisted the urge to ask what Mrs. Bradshaw had told Mia. She didn't want to pry, at least not into Mia's life. That wasn't her reason for befriending her. But, as they saw the highway sign reading "Newtech City...4 miles," Mia began to sob uncontrollably.

"What's wrong?" Syd wondered aloud.

"Mrs. Bradshaw told me that she's found a potential foster family for Anna," Mia said. "I'm running out of time. If I don't get my daughter back soon, I may lose her forever."

Syd wanted to respond, but she didn't know how. So, silence became a third passenger in the car, as it sped closer to Newtech City, taking Mia further away from her daughter.

* * *

Kat walked into the laboratory, which was devoid of human life. She walked over to the four Delta X Series robots and glanced at them, backward and frontward. She even spotted the small Vanguard X logo in the palm of their hands. Pryce was right, she thought. She heard the doors to the laboratory slide open behind her. 

_Speaking of Dr. Jensen..._

"I'm surprised to see you here," Pryce called out, behind her. "Come to give me another tongue lashing?"

"I know you don't get why I'm apprehensive about this, but I have deep reservations about this type of technology being used by Space Patrol Delta," Kat said.

"But you have to admit—"

Kat put a hand up, silencing Pryce in mid-sentence.

"Let me finish," she said. "I have reservations, but that doesn't mean I'm resistant to change. I'd like to see all the research done on the Delta X Series so far. I want to look over it myself."

"I'll have it on your desk first thing in the morning," Pryce said simply.

"I can't fully dismiss this...X-Squad, until I have all the facts," Kat said, as she walked past Pryce, headed towards the exit.

"_X-Squad_...I kinda like that," he said to her with a smile.

Kat stepped into the hallway, but stayed close enough to the doors so they wouldn't slid closed behind her. She turned back to face Pryce again, glancing past him only briefly to take one last look at the four drones.

"I'm still telling Supreme Commander Cruger about my feelings on this."

"I'd expect no less," Pryce said, as he watched her walk away.

* * *

A few hours later, the Supreme Commander's official shuttlecraft was landing inside S.P.D. Headquarters on Earth. As Kat and Sophie waited at the top of the escalators for the trio to ascend, they could instantly tell that it had been a long day at Sky's hearing. Cruger, Bridge & Quinn all looked exhausted. 

"Welcome back, Supreme Commander," Sophie said.

"Thank you, Sophie," Cruger said, as he nodded to Kat as well.

"How'd it go?" Kat asked.

"Intense," Bridge said simply.

"It's going to be tough for Sky, but we knew that going in. I have no doubt that Isinia will be prepared," Cruger said. "We have to be prepared to help as well."

The others looked confused. Cruger sighed, as he decided to share his plans with Kat and the Officers, after much deep thought on their shuttle ride back to Earth.

"What do you mean?" Kat asked.

"I think it would be a good idea if I dispatched the Rangers to Fernovia to investigate the terrorist attacks there," Cruger said.

Kat looked a bit surprised.

"But sir, the situation on Fernovia has gotten more dangerous by the day," Kat said.

"That's why I need to get to the bottom of the situation there. We don't have enough forces to send an army to aid their forces. But I can send them my best," Cruger said, as he looked at Bridge, Sophie & Quinn.

"We'll do it," Bridge said without hesitation.

"Yeah," Quinn chimed in. "I saw the look on Representative Urgundii's face. We have to do something, especially if it helps Sky in the long run."

"Thank you, Rangers," Cruger said with a nod. "Your courage is astounding."

"After Triforia, I think we're ready for anything," Sophie added.

The trio walked off together. As Cruger began to do the same, Kat grabbed his arm.

"Sir, we need to talk about something else," Kat said, frowning.

* * *

After a hot shower, Quinn Gray had decided to grab a snack. As he approached the mess, he saw his fellow Officer, Bridge Carson coming in his direction, carrying a small plate. Bridge paused as he passed Quinn, who glanced down at his plate and took in the aroma. 

"Wow...burritos, Bridge?" Quinn asked, looking confused.

"You sound surprised."

"It's almost one in the morning. Besides that, shouldn't there be some toast on that plate?"

"You know I read somewhere that burritos can actually work as brain food," Bridge said, as he bit into the packed pocket.

"Where did you read that?" Quinn said, letting out a confused chuckle.

"The Academy newsletter," Bridge said, while still chewing.

"Bridge, don't you write the Academy newsletter?"

"It's amongst my many talents," Bridge said, as he headed off back towards his quarters. "I think it will help me come up with some plans for our trip to Fernovia."

"Those things will probably give you nightmares," Quinn called after him, smirking.

Less than a minute later, Bridge had made his way towards his room. As he walked into the darkened quarters, he got the instant sense that something was out of place.

"Lights!" Bridge called out into the air.

As the dim room became bright, he saw a hulking piece of machinery staring at him. It had the face of a robotic canine and the body of a terminator.

"Quinn was right," Bridge muttered to himself.

Bridge quickly sat his plate of burritos on his desk and then pinched himself on the arm.

"Ouch...okay, not dreaming," Bridge said. "What's going on?"

At the sound of Bridge's sentence the Delta X Series robot moved slightly towards him, as its faceplate blinked red. The robot tilted its head curiously.

"Bridge Carson..." it spoke in its booming baritone voice.

"Yeah?" Bridge responded quietly.

"Prepare to die!"

* * *

On the East Side of Newtech City, the Purgatory Lounge was the popular place of the moment. Most of the seats were occupied, to Barrett Van Tigue's delight. He smiled and shook hands at the doorway, as one of his best customers was leaving. He looked back into the main lounge area and saw her. She was the main attraction and on this evening and she had done her job perfectly. 

He watched as Syren Dean made her way to practically every table, mingling with the paying customers who had just enjoyed one of her melodious performances. Barrett's eyes veered over to the bar, where a few more patrons were seated. He frowned a bit as he glanced at Mia, who didn't look happy at all. Across the room, Syd had noticed the same thing. She glanced at Barrett, noticing him looking at his girlfriend. She couldn't help but wonder if he truly cared about Mia's situation.

Barrett caught sight of her staring at him and he smiled. Syd quickly changed her view to a passing patron, who was also leaving. The man gave her a gentle hug. As Syd smelled the alcohol on his breath, she forced herself to smile. Before she could get far, Barrett was right on top of her. He put an arm around her and turned to the remaining customers.

"Well, my friends, it's that time. We have to let our darling, Syren get her beauty rest," Barrett announced, to groans from the patrons.

"I hope that all of you will come for my next performance. I had oh so much fun," Syd said, slyly, giving them all a coy smile.

"Thank you, Syren," Barrett said.

As Syd headed for the back of the lounge, she gave a nod to Mia, as if to tell her that she was there for her whenever she needed. She patted Rogi, her pianist on the back as she walked past his piano.

"Great set, Rogi," she said.

"I'm only as good as my muse, Syren," Rogi responded, making her blush.

As Syd got to the back of the lounge and out of sight of everyone in the hosting area, she didn't go up the stairs to her apartment. Instead she slipped out of the back door into the darkened alley. As she breathed in the fresh air she began to feel better. Just being in that lounge made her feel sleazy. She glanced around the alley, seeing how far the shadows were cast in the small area. She sighed.

"Sometimes I do wonder why I'm here," she said aloud, as she folded her exposed arms on this windy night. "I never imagined that I would get this close to Mia. I was worried about that, but she may be just the person to help me get closer to Barrett. After all, that is what I'm here for. I can't get sidetracked too much. I know that. And, if I reveal too much to Mia that could lead to disaster."

"Then, I guess you know what you have to do," a voice came from the shadows.

As Syd walked a bit further from the exit and looked in that direction, she smiled. She knew exactly whom the voice belonged to. She watched the black leather pants walk slowly from the shadows. Wearing a matching black hat and leather jacket, Z Delgado placed her hands in the pockets and smiled back at her partner.

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Admission"**

_Cruger is outraged to learn about the Delta X Series project,  
which sends him straight to President Cali's office. Barrett asks  
Syd to sing at a business event, which gives her an inside look  
into his personal life. Things get more complicated when Dr.  
Jensen & Kat both get invitations, learning that Barrett is  
connected with Vanguard X. Bridge, Quinn & Sophie  
head into a dangerous situation on Fernovia._


	5. Admission

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"ADMISSION"**

"This is unbelievable."

Even as the words escaped his mouth, Doggie Cruger could not fathom what he witnessed. His eyes never left the holographic monitor inside S.P.D. Earth's Command Center. His words gave weight to his feelings as he glanced at an image of the Delta X Series robots housed inside the main science lab. At his sides, Commander Kat Manx and Doctor Pryce Jensen also watched the recording as it played out on the projector built into the main control console. Designed as an instructional tool, the video had arrived with the drones. The monotone, seemingly robotic voice that narrated the demo continued without interruption, despite Cruger's outburst...

"As you can see, these drones are the most sophisticated technology at Space Patrol Delta's disposal. Armed with superior sensory perception, these robots are equipped to handle any authorized vocal command and respond in an instant. The purpose of the Delta X Series is simple: Protect and Serve."

Cruger paused the recording, causing both Kat and Jensen to lock eyes with him.

"How is this even possible?" Cruger said, stunned. "I've never heard anything about a Delta X Series."

"I hadn't either until they showed up on our doorstep," Kat said. "I had a feeling you didn't authorize this."

"Who did?" Cruger spoke angrily.

Pryce Jensen sighed, as he handed Cruger a small LCD pad.

"These are the orders that came with X-Squad. It says the Supreme Commander's authorization code was approved," Jensen said, as Cruger let out a low grumble.

"This is only the tip of the iceberg," Kat said. "You won't get the full effect of these drones until you see them in person."

"Which you're welcome to do at any time, sir," Jensen chimed in.

As Cruger continued to digest the revelation of the Delta X Series' existence, the silence inside the Command Center was broken by a security alarm. Every eye in the place fell upon Ghiren, the S.P.D. technician who worked at the tracking station. If there was a breach in S.P.D.'s security, he would be the first to know. After pressing a few buttons, the green-skinned alien turned to the three standing in the center of the room.

"It's Officer Carson! He's called for security in his quarters. He said he's being attacked by a large...dog-shaped robot," Ghiren announced, curiously.

Cruger, Kat and Jensen all turned towards the paused image of the Delta X Series robot.

"Security is already on the way," Niyako spoke from the communications station.

"So are we!" Kat yelled, as she sprinted through the Command Center doors, followed closely by Jensen and Cruger.

* * *

Inside his quarters, Bridge Carson couldn't help but stare at the glowing red eyes on the faceplate of the robot towering before him. 

"Prepare to die!" the metallic voice spoke again.

Bridge saw it moving closer. He glanced past the robot, at his desk on the far end of the room. His uniform lay crumpled in his desk chair. He saw his morpher holstered there with it. His eyes shot back at the robot, as he quickly put both his hands up.

"Can't we talk about this?" Bridge said, exasperated.

As his gloved hands extended a bit past the wrists of his long-sleeved blue t-shirt, Bridge saw something and decided to take a chance. He quickly rolled up his right sleeve and ripped off his glove, exposing his right arm. He used his nails to grab at the fake skin which covered his cybernetic limb. Once he exposed a bit of the machinery, he raised his arm in front of him.

"Look! See! I'm kinda like you. We're all a little robotic," Bridge said, causing the robot to stop in his tracks, as Bridge inched backwards, closer to the exit.

As Bridge saw the robot's eyes blink quickly a few times, he thought he might have been breaking through its programming.

"We're like brothers...partially-robotic half-brothers," Bridge stammered.

As he began to wave his cybernetic arm in front of the robot, its eyes re-adjusted and grabbed a hold of Bridge's replacement arm, forcefully, pulling him forward, away from the doors. Bridge hoped the slight distraction was all he needed. While still in the robot's grip, he twisted himself around, putting his back to the robot's side. He reached out his left hand, grabbing a hold of the chair and yanking at it, causing his uniform to fly into the air, along with his morpher. As he saw the pants going over his head, he set his sights on his morphing device. He reached out with his left hand.

His hopes, however, were quickly dashed, as the robot grabbed a hold of his throat with its other hand, lifting Bridge into the air. Out the corner of his eye, Bridge saw his uniform and morpher fall to the floor near the doors. The Delta X Series robot slammed Bridge against the far wall of his room near the desk, narrowly missing the window.

"This…is no way…to treat…family," Bridge mumbled, as he tried to breathe through the robot's clenched fist.

As he could feel his throat closing, he feared it would crush under the robot's grip. His right wrist still occupied the robot's other massive hand, leaving Bridge with only his left, which he was currently using to try to pry the robot's hand off his throat. Thinking quickly, Bridge raised his left foot, planting it on the metallic joint which connected the robot's head to its shoulders. He used all of his weight to fight against the robot's grip and push him away.

"Down…boy," Bridge muttered, as he began to scream in pain.

As his vision started to blur, he saw the doors to his quarters slide open. Four security guards rushed inside, grabbing at the robot's limbs from behind. Right behind them were Kat, Pryce and Cruger.

"Carson!" Cruger yelled.

"Hold on, Bridge!" Kat chimed in.

With no fear, Pryce rushed in behind the guards, grabbing at the back of the robot's chest armor. Kat watched as Pryce stuck his hand underneath the plating and began grabbing at something. Within a matter of moments, the robot completely shut down. Bridge fell to the floor, as did the security guards. Kat rushed to Bridge's side.

"Bridge, are you okay?"

"I've…been better," Bridge said, as he gasped for air. "What is that thing?"

"The future of S.P.D. law enforcement," Kat said, angrily as she locked eyes with Pryce, who gave her a troubled look.

Cruger stepped further into the interior of the room, as the guards all had weapons trained on the robot.

"What happened?" Cruger said, forcefully, as he looked at Pryce.

However, Bridge, looking apologetic, spoke up first.

"Well, sir…I was having some burritos and—"

"Not you, Carson!" Cruger shot Bridge a look, before turning his attention back to Pryce. "Doctor?"

"I don't know. It must have been some kind of malfunction. I don't even know how it got out of my lab. They only activate upon vocal command," Pryce explained.

"Figure it out!" Cruger yelled, before storming out of the room.

As Kat helped Bridge to his feet, she couldn't help but notice the curiosity filling his eyes, as he looked at the robot. She watched him walk closer to it.

"Hmm, he's kinda cool…now that he's not trying to strangle the life out of me," Bridge said, still massaging his neck.

Kat sighed.

* * *

Sydney Drew emerged from her bathroom looking almost like a different woman. Unlike earlier this evening, her hair was now perfectly placed...in curlers, her white dress was hung in the closet and her face was free of all makeup. She grabbed a mug of hot chocolate from Z Delgado's hand and knelt onto her couch, joined by her partner, who was still dressed for travel. 

"I almost thought I was gonna have to send a search party in there after you," Z said, as she sipped the warm beverage.

"Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind," Syd responded.

"Mia?"

"Yeah. It's weird. A few weeks ago I never would have guessed I'd consider her a friend."

"I'm not so sure you can," Z said, flatly.

"What?"

"Mia is Syren Dean's friend, not Sydney Drew's," Z said.

"You know what I mean."

"But she doesn't," Z explained. "Look, Mia isn't the priority here. Supreme Commander Cruger sent us here to get the goods on Van Tigue, not his girlfriend."

"I know that. But, getting close to Mia gets me close to Barrett. At least, that's what I thought when I first tried to befriend her," Syd said, solemnly.

"But she hasn't gotten you any closer to cracking this case," Z said. "And from what you told me about her drama with her kid, I doubt Van Tigue's at the top of her list of priorities right now. You need to refocus."

"I've been trying. It's just…I haven't been able to find the right angle to get close enough to Barrett. If someone were to catch me snooping around his office, my cover would be blown."

"Maybe you should attack it the old-fashioned way. Use your feminine wiles," Z said, with a smirk.

"Feminine wiles?" Syd gave her a sarcastic glance. "I can't do that. If Mia found out, she'd hate me."

"She'd hate _Syren_. So what? We have a job to do."

"I'm not like you, Z. I can't just bury my personal feelings when they get in the way," Syd said, as she stared at Z. "Mia's not Piggy."

Z grimaced at the sound of the alien's name.

"Piggy tried to kill me…and he thinks he did. He's getting what he deserves. Besides, I'm killing two birds with one stone. Piggy gets to pay for what he did and if I keep it up, he'll crack and confess, telling us everything he knows about Van Tigue's plans," Z explained.

"So Piggy's paying for what he _thinks_ he did?"

"He betrayed me, Syd. There's no way you can make me feel bad about this," Z said.

"I'm not trying to. I just want you see that emotion is a big part of the way we both do things. I can't betray Mia."

Z stood up in frustration, placing her mug on the coffee table. She shook her head as she turned back to Syd.

"This investigation is not about her. It's about getting to Van Tigue and finding out what he's up to," Z said.

"Well, I haven't had much luck. From what I've observed around here, he doesn't do much face-to-face business in his office. It's mostly phone calls, usually to Prax. With Lady Vishus around, I can't get much closer."

"Trailing him hasn't turned up much either," Z revealed. "His limo's been all over the city. He's had meetings with tons of people, all above board. We're obviously missing something."

"If he's not doing any dirty deeds here and not while he's out, what does that leave?" Syd wondered aloud.

As both women racked their brains, someone knocked at Syd's door. Syd stood up, looking confused.

"It's late," she whispered to Z. "Who could that be?"

Z pointed to the peep hole on the door. Syd peeked in, then turned back to her, looking stunned.

"It's Barrett," she mouthed the words, but didn't make a sound.

After a few more knocks were heard, Z ducked into the bathroom, closing the door. Syd opened the door slowly and saw Barrett. He was still dressed from her earlier performance, wearing black from head to toe. She forced a smile.

"Barrett, this is a surprise," Syd said.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Syren."

"It's all right. What's up? Is Mia okay?" Syd asked.

"Mia's fine. I had a favor to ask you. With all of the excitement downstairs I forgot completely about it. May I come in?"

Syd glanced behind her at the interior of the apartment. Just as she was about to oblige, she caught sight of the two mugs of cocoa on the table. She couldn't let Barrett know she wasn't alone. She turned back to him quickly.

"Actually, I was just on my way to bed. Can we discuss this tomorrow?"

"It's about tomorrow," Barrett said. "I'm supposed to be hosting a small fundraiser for a research company that I contribute to. I received a call earlier from the entertainment. They backed out at the last minute. I could really use your talents."

"A party?"

"I'd pay you for your time of course. You don't have to take the offer, but I'd really appreciate it. You'd be helping me out of a real bind," Barrett spoke sincerely.

"I'll do it," Syd agreed.

"Thank you, Syren. The event's at my home. I'll leave you directions tomorrow. Don't worry about anything else. I'll have it all taken care of," Barrett said with a smile.

"Okay."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Barrett said, as he turned to walk away.

Syd watched him get to the end of the hallway. Before he started down the staircase, he turned back to her.

"Thanks again."

Syd simply nodded, as she saw him leave. She closed the door and sighed.

"You can come out," she spoke.

She watched Z emerge from the bathroom and rub her brow.

"That was a little too close," she said.

"I know."

"But...this could be just the opening we've been looking for," Z said, as she thought.

"His house?" Syd wondered aloud.

"Could be just the opportunity we need and now you've got an invitation into the sanctuary," Z concluded.

* * *

The sun rose over New Tech City, as Kat Manx strolled into the Command Center. Her face was blank. She seemed to show no emotion. It wasn't a feeling she often had, but the events of the last few days had truly left her unsettled. But that was an emotion she also didn't want to convey to her crew. She glanced at Ghiren and Niyako, both working at their stations on the right side of the room. The two had become almost like pieces of equipment. She made a mental note to give them more time off. Her eyes veered to Pryce Jensen who was working at the main control console. She let out a bit of a sigh, as she walked over, seeing him focused intently. 

"You look a mess. Did you pull an all-nighter?" Kat said, as she noticed the stubble on his face and the weary look in his eyes.

"Yes. And, so far, I've come to one conclusion about that X-Squad robot's malfunction," Pryce said, with a faint smile.

"Which is?"

"It wasn't my fault," Pryce said, as he hunched his shoulder, giving her a sarcastic glance.

"Pryce, I need real answers here. This is no time for joking," Kat said, sternly. "Besides, it's still your fault for not keeping your lab secure."

"Touché," Pryce said, as he glanced back at the control station's readout. "From what I can tell, it was a simple malfunction in the robot's communications node."

"He almost killed Bridge. There's nothing simple about it," Kat said, raising her voice a bit and drawing the attention of Ghiren, Niyako and the other technicians working in the room.

"I replaced the node and he seems to be responding to commands perfectly," Pryce explained. "The malfunction is responsible for all of this. The other drones didn't move an inch. I checked the security cameras. A stray announcement over the communications systems in the base activated him. Given the malfunction in his communications node, the robot thought it was ordering him to Officer Carson's room. Bridge's voice added more problems to the mix at that point."

"So, you're saying he heard an announcement to send a maintenance crew to the zord bay, but that's not what his systems registered?" Kat asked, curiously.

"Exactly."

"Still…'prepare to die'…that shouldn't even be in his vocabulary," Kat said, as she thought back to Bridge's account of what happened.

"These things are state of the art. Everything's in their vocabulary," Pryce said, looking optimistic. "But trust me, that doesn't mean they act on it. It has internal weapons and it didn't use them. He could have fried Bridge in a matter of seconds."

"All the more reason to make sure this doesn't happen again," Kat added.

"It won't. I isolated the problem and fixed it," Pryce said. "It's all part of field testing."

Kat sighed, as she turned away from Pryce and the main control console. Part of her wished she had re-installed the Commander's station there after her predecessor, Silverback, had it removed. She could use a place to think. When she heard the gentle hum off the doors to the Command Center opening, Kat turned back around, seeing Bridge, Sophie & Quinn enter. Quinn and Sophie were both looking very worried.

"Bridge told us what happened last night," a surprised Quinn spoke. "Some S.P.D. robot attacked him?"

Before Kat could begin to respond, Sophie was talking.

"S.P.D. is making robots now?" she asked, still stunned from Bridge's story.

"Where is he?" Bridge asked, with an excited glimmer in his eyes. "I want to show Quinn and Sophie!"

"Everyone listen," Kat said, exerting her authority. "The Delta X Series of robots is still experimental. From what I understand, it's still in the very early stages. We only have four of them here."

Kat noticed the three Rangers all looking more curious as she continued to explain.

"I still don't understand," Sophie said, looking troubled. "S.P.D. doesn't allow full cyborgs to serve…but they're making robots who can?"

"Sophie, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered when it comes to the Delta X project," Kat said. "Supreme Commander Cruger has already left for Andruss III. He's trying to figure out where the authorization for the project came from in the first place."

"You mean Doggie didn't sign off on them?" Bridge asked.

Kat shook her head.

"This is all kinda confusing," Quinn said.

"I know," Kat stated. "For right now, focus on your next mission. Your shuttle is already prepped for the trip to Fernovia."

"Right," Pryce added. "The situation is extremely dangerous. We received a communication from the planet about an hour ago. There was another bombing. They're planning on making another currency delivery to the terrorists today."

"Hopefully, they won't have to," Bridge said, thinking ahead to his plan of action.

"Remember to be careful," Kat added.

"Don't worry," Sophie said. "We're ready for them."

"Actually," Bridge said, looking slyly. "I know a way we could be even more prepared."

"Bridge?" Kat asked, shuddering at what Bridge could be thinking.

"Can we take one of the Delta X robots with us?"

"No!" Kat said quickly and loudly. "They haven't been tested. After what happened last night, do you really want to take that risk?"

"Please, Kat!"

"I did fix the problem, Commander," Pryce said, quietly at her side.

"See!" Bridge exclaimed. "We could show those terrorists something they've never seen before. Sophie and I outfitted Murphy with a detonator detector. If one of those huge robots had that kind of ability we could find those bombs even faster!"

"It's too dangerous," Kat said.

"Please, Kat. It'll be cool, right Dr. Jensen?" Bridge gestured towards Pryce.

"We are supposed to be field testing them," Pryce said, carefully as he glanced at Kat.

"I don't like this," she said. "But…this is your mission, Bridge."

Bridge smiled.

"Thanks!"

"If it starts acting strangely, you deactivate it," Kat said. "Dr. Jensen will instruct you on how."

"Of course," Pryce jumped in.

"This is gonna be awesome," Bridge said, as he put his arm around Sophie. "A terminator team!"

Bridge guided her out of the Command Center, as Quinn stayed behind for a few seconds shaking his head. After an eye roll to Kat, he trailed behind his teammates.

"I guess I better go start that lesson," Pryce said.

As he turned to leave, Kat grabbed his arm.

"If something goes wrong out there, I'm holding you personally responsible," Kat spoke in a tone more serious than Pryce had ever heard from her before.

He nodded. Kat released him and he exited the Command Center. Kat took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, hoping she had made the right decision.

* * *

The Solarus Café on Andruss III was a popular spot on the planet, because it was the only restaurant made entirely out of glass. Every table, every chair, every wall. Even the ceiling gave viewers a look at the sweeping blue sky. It didn't hurt that it was centrally located within walking distance of Galaxy Command, the Galactic Council Center and Karovian Towers, one of the largest living complexes on the planet. That made it the perfect spot for Isinia and Sky to have lunch. 

As she glanced across the reflective table at Sky, Isinia noticed he hadn't touched his food since it arrived, other than the occasional poke with his fork. The cheesy concoction had to be cold by now, she thought.

"Not hungry after all?" Isinia asked aloud.

"When I saw they had macaroni and cheese on the menu, I thought it might cheer me up," Sky said, with a frown as he stared down at the dish. "No such luck."

"Your favorite?"

"It was. When I was a kid my dad made some for me from a family recipe. It tasted great," Sky explained.

"Your father cooked?"

"Only macaroni and cheese," Sky said, with a chuckle as he glanced over at Isinia. "Only one time too. But still, that one time was amazing. Just sitting down with him and eating together. We didn't get a lot of time together when I was growing up."

"One time is all it takes to give us lasting memories, Sky," Isinia said, attempting to reassure him, as she could feel the tension Sky gave off in his body language.

"I know. Even today, nothing beats my dad's macaroni and cheese."

"I take it your mother wasn't a big chef?"

Sky instantly laughed at Isinia's inquiry.

"At least I got you to smile," Isinia added.

"My mom never cooked anything. It wasn't her style. Why cook when you could get someone else to get dirty? My nanny did most of the cooking," Sky explained.

"A nanny?"

"Nanny, housekeeper, nursemaid…she basically did everything for me growing up. My mom was always busy with her social commitments. Her name was Rebecca. People would always think she was my mother," Sky revealed. "Until I got older and my hair got darker, like my parents. She was blond. You know, she was with me when I found out my dad died."

"Really?" Isinia asked, surprised at the information. "Where was your mother?"

"She was inside the hospital. I couldn't go in. Rebecca stayed with me outside and that's when one of the officers came out and told us what happened," Sky spoke, while also trying to reign in his emotions over the memory. "He gave me my dad's helmet. I never parted with it after that."

"You have it with you here?"

"No. I left it on Earth. I didn't know what was going to happen and if they send me to prison, I didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands," Sky said, somberly.

"I'm dedicated to making sure that doesn't happen," Isinia said, as someone walked up to the table near Sky.

"Preparing for the worst?" Obla Grutton said. "That's a good idea."

Sky's sadness was pushed aside by his instant anger at the arrival of the advocate looking to place him behind bars.

"Were you listening in on our conversation?" Sky said, angrily.

"It's the ears," Grutton said, as he ran his fingers along his tall furry white ears. "They pick up quite a lot whether I want them to or not. I'm sure you have that same problem, Mrs. Cruger."

"I've learned to tune out things that don't concern me," Isinia said quickly.

"Good for you," Grutton said.

If his face didn't have a permanent grin on it, she would have sworn he was mocking her.

"Can we help you with something?" Isinia asked.

"No. I just saw you two sitting over here and thought I'd say hello. Just a friendly welcome. Glad to see visitors to our great planet getting out and enjoying the place. Especially when they are…short on time," Grutton said, as he glanced back at Sky.

Sky began to get up from his seat, furiously. Isinia immediately put a hand up, motioning for him to sit back down, as she saw several other patrons beginning to look in their direction. The two guards assigned to Sky were positioned across the street and appeared to be ready to intervene as well.

"Thank you, Advocate Grutton. Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to get back to our meal," Isinia said, calmly.

"Of course," Grutton said, smugly with another glance to Sky. "Enjoy."

Within seconds, he was out of sight. Isinia saw Sky's fuming face and sighed.

"You can't let him do this to you," Isinia said.

"I know that," Sky said, tensely. "It's just that guy makes me so mad."

"Join the club. But we can't fight back out here. We can only do it in the Council Chamber," Isinia said.

"You're right," Sky said.

"Glad you think so. Now if you're not going to eat that macaroni and cheese, I think my pups are still hungry," Isinia said, with a playful nod.

Sky forced a grin, as he slid his plate towards her and tried to forget the incident.

* * *

In the years since he had come to Andruss III, Galactic Council President Ottomus Cali had gotten used to many things. He had become accustomed to telling people to call him "Otto" when his first name had to be spoken. The misuse of Ottomus annoyed him. He endured the constant public scrutiny. The press had made their home on Andruss III just as much as he had. Another thing Cali had grown used to was the music of Chattis Phee. Four days after his arrival on the planet, he heard a haunting melody as he toured the Galactic Council Center. He followed the tune behind the building and noticed a humanoid creature who was about four feet tall. The sound coming from his alien instrument drew Cali in and he spent most of the next few months learning all he could about the creature and his song. Cali thought he would listen to Phee's longest piece today, but a surprise visitor halted those plans. Impromptu visits were another thing he had gotten used to. 

The doors to his office slid open, as he heard Tawke's objections to Doggie Cruger's entrance. Cruger was coming in whether anyone wanted him to or not. The Galactic Council President's office was of rectangular shape. His raised desk was located at the very end of the room, opposite the entrance. If he didn't have keen sight to match his hearing, he might not have been able to identify Cruger as fast as he did. Of course, Cruger being a tall, canine humanoid certainly helped.

"Tawke, it's all right," Cali called out. "I've got a few moments. I'll see the Supreme Commander."

"Yes, you will," Cruger said, sternly as he entered.

After a polite nod, Tawke retreated back out into the hallway, allowing the doors to snap shut behind her.

"I don't think I like your tone, Anubis," Cali said, as he stood up from his desk and met Cruger in the middle of the long office.

They both seemed to stop a few feet away from one another, equally distant from the large canine symbol of Space Patrol Delta, which hung on the walls on both sides of them.

"You're entitled," Cruger said quickly. "After all, I'm here to tell you what I don't like, so I guess it should go both ways."

"Is this about the hearing?"

"No!" Cruger said angrily. "This is about things going over my head...again!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the Delta X Series. Someone authorized the use of robots on Earth and I want to know who did. It certainly wasn't the Supreme Commander," Cruger said, as he held out a large LCD pad, showing Cali the orders.

Cali took the pad and began reading them through. He turned his back on Cruger as he slowly began walking back to his desk, still reading.

"I remember this," Cali said, lowly, as he read.

"It should be pretty fresh in your memory, since they only arrived on Earth a few days ago," Cruger said. "I assume you authorized them, since I didn't and you're the only one with the clearance to push them through without me knowing."

Cali reached his desk and turned to Cruger, shaking his head.

"I didn't give the authorization for the Delta X project," Cali announced. "The Supreme Commander did."

"What?" Cruger responded, as his confusion was causing even more anger.

"Birdy," Cali said. "This was Birdy's project. His last before his death. He's the one who signed these orders."

"That makes no sense," Cruger said. "Birdy died months ago."

"That's when the authorization was signed," Cali said. "I'm surprised he never told you about, seeing as how he told me during the planning stages that he wanted them to be first deployed on Earth. He had confidence in your branch of Space Patrol Delta. He wanted you all to be the first to test them."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"I don't know. From what I understand you two weren't very close in the last months before his death. He still respected you immensely," Cali said. "I'm sorry about the misunderstanding. With everything that's happened, I completely forgot about this."

"I don't know if I agree with the implementation of robots on the battlefield," Cruger said. "There are many variables that could go wrong."

"Well, that's why testing is done. Personally, I agree with you, but the future waits for no man...or dog, in this case. I suggest you allow S.P.D. Earth to continue the testing and make your decision based on what they find. Your Kat Manx is in command there, now. I'm sure she'll oversee everything," Cali explained.

"If I don't believe they're viable, I will pull the plug," Cruger said.

"You have my full support on whatever you decide," Cali said, as he handed the pad back to Cruger. "We're all on the same side here, Anubis. We all want what's best for Space Patrol Delta."

Cruger nodded as exited the office. Once in the hallway, Cruger paused. He could feel Tawke's eyes on him from her large circular desk. As he began to walk away, he was still troubled. It was true that he and Cali both wanted what was best for S.P.D., but some part of Cruger didn't believe their methods allowed them to be on the same side.

* * *

Even as Syd was buzzed through the large iron security gates, she had a hard time believing that the mansion sitting before her belonged to Barrett Van Tigue. She expected it to be large and it definitely was. But Syd was surprised to see the house was white. Barrett's style had always seemed dark to her. Looks can be deceiving, she remembered, but still she was curious as to what lay inside. 

She exited her small white Volkswagen beetle and took in the large two-story home. As she approached the double-doored entranceway, she extended her right index finger towards the doorbell. She never got to hear the sound, because the doors opened seconds before her finger could press the buzzer. She was immediately greeted by the sly face of Lady Vishus. She truly was Barrett's shadow, Syd thought to herself.

"Well, if it isn't Syren Dean," Vishus said, through her pursed lips.

"I'm a little early, but Barrett's expecting me," Syd replied, with a cordial grin.

"I know everything, dear. Come in," Vishus spoke methodically, as she extended her arm, gesturing for Syd to enter.

As she stepped inside, Syd saw that it was indeed Barrett Van Tigue's house. The interior was dark. While the walls were all cream-colored, every piece of furniture in the large room was black. It fit well with the black and white checkered flooring, which was all much more modern than Syd had expected, given the classic exterior. As she walked further into the sitting room, she noticed two archways on her right. They seemed to form a "U" shape around behind the wall. She didn't bother to glance in, as she followed Vishus' lead past the first arch. Vishus pointed back to it.

"That's the kitchen," she said, as she walked further into the sitting room, pointing off to the back of the room at the piano, which sat on a raised area, two steps off the ground.

The instrument was black and polished perfectly, Syd noticed.

"That's where you'll be performing this evening," Vishus said, as she kept walking.

Opposite the piano on the other side of the room was a well-stocked bar. Syd wasn't surprised, given Mia's knowledge of universal drinks and Barrett's enjoyment of them. She saw a black leather couch against the wall to the left of the piano stage. Next to it, was another archway, which led further back into the house. She followed Vishus through it. Vishus pointed off to her left, as they entered.

"There's the downstairs bathroom."

After a quick glance Syd found herself looking straight ahead. There was a staircase further back and a large picture window, which looked out upon a pool outside the house. In the middle of the room was a pool table. This was Barrett's rec room. On their right, she saw Vishus walk up to another large window. Syd walked over to her side and noticed this window looked down upon what appeared to be a personal gym on the floor below.

It was then that Syd caught sight of Barrett Van Tigue, sparring with a punching bag on the hard wood floor. Shirtless and sweaty, she watched as he connected with several punches and kicks. Syd was impressed. Van Tigue had other talents besides business.

"Barrett's tae kwon do is quite advanced," Vishus revealed, as she saw Syd's expression of surprise. "I'll let him know you're here."

Vishus walked a few feet further down the room, near the pool table. A small spiral staircase was located on the right of the room. Syd watched Vishus descend the staircase. Once she was out of sight, Syd's eyes veered back to Barrett, thrusting his foot towards the bag and hitting it with a swift high kick. She noticed the definition in his chest and knew he must have been dedicated to keeping in good shape and the martial arts were helping him. Syd's eyes veered to a trophy case lining the wall. There weren't many, but she could tell he was an accomplished fighter. She even spied his red belt in the case.

At that moment, she saw Lady Vishus enter the gym. She walked towards Barrett and began speaking to him. Syd couldn't hear what they were saying through the glass, but she saw Vishus' nailed finger point in her direction. Barrett looked up at her. A slight smile came across his lips and Syd knew she had to smile back. She watched Barrett walk over to a wall, where an intercom was located. As he pressed the button and began speaking, she heard his voice on her right. She looked over to the wall and saw a matching intercom there.

"Syren, you're early. I should have expected as much," Barrett said, happily.

Syd pressed the button to respond.

"I aim to please," she responded.

"I'm going to finish up down here and take a quick shower. If you have a seat in the sitting room, I'll be with you in a few moments," Barrett explained.

"Of course. Take your time," Syd said.

She snuck one final glance down at him as Lady Vishus handed him a towel. As Syd walked back through the archway into the sitting room, she heard noises coming from the kitchen. She wasn't sure if anyone else was supposed to be there, but her curiosity was piqued. She slowly walked over to the archway near the piano, at the rear of the room. As she got closer she realized the sound she heard was someone chopping something on a cutting board. As she got to the archway, she could hear the faint sound of humming, followed by the sounds of a woman's voice lowly singing a Spanish tune.

Syd peeked in and saw the elderly woman of ample size rocking back and forth, as her fingers rhythmically chopped vegetables by hand, never hitting a finger and never missing a beat in her song. Syd smiled instantly. Noticing the woman was wearing simple clothing and a white apron, Syd knew she had found a real chef. She waited until a pause in the cutting to knock on the wall, alerting the woman to her presence. She jumped a bit, patting her chest with her free hand.

"Usted me espantó!" she said quickly, before translating. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry. I just heard your singing and I had to come in."

"You call that singing?" she said with a giggle. "You must not hear much."

"Actually, I hear a lot more than you'd think," Syd said, as she extended a hand. "I'm Syren Dean. Barrett hired me to sing at his fundraiser tonight."

The older woman scurried over to the sink, washing her hands quickly and drying them. She waddled back over to Syd and took her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you. I don't meet many of Señor Van Tigue's guests. I am Consuela, the housekeeper."

"Housekeeper?" Syd wondered curiously, as she looked back at the food preparation.

"Well, housekeeper, chef. I cook. I clean. You know, whatever Señor Van Tigue needs. He doesn't keep much staff around. He's very private man," Consuela revealed.

"I understand that," Syd said, with a nod. Seeing an opportunity to learn more about Barrett's home life, she took it. "How long have you worked for Barrett?"

"Oh, not very long. About a month now. From what I've heard, he doesn't like to keep the same staff for very long," Consuela explained.

As Syd listened to her talk, she began to feel more comfortable. The woman had a gentle air about her. She spoke very good English given her advanced age. Syd could tell she had done a lot of labor in her day. She could see gray hairs peeking out from underneath Consuela's wrapped head, as she went back to her chopping duties.

"I see," Syd said, finally. "I guess you don't really get too comfortable, then."

"Oh, don't worry about me. I plan on convincing Señor Van Tigue that I am the most useful employee he could have. He's already kept me on longer than any of those before me," Consuela said, with a wink.

"Sounds like he made a good decision," Syd said, with a smile.

The two were so engrossed in their conversation that they never noticed someone had entered on the opposite side of the room.

"I'm glad you think so."

Both women glanced over to see Barrett. Consuela seemed to become a bit unsettled.

"Señor Van Tigue, I was just—"

"She was keeping me company," Syd said, cutting her off. "That was a quick shower."

"When you're a busy man like myself, you learn to be quick about things."

"That is how you got me here on such short notice," Syd retorted.

"Come on. Let me show you upstairs."

"Of course," Syd said, before briefly turning back to the housekeeper. "Consuela, it was very nice meeting you."

"You as well, señorita," Consuela responded.

Syd and Barrett walked back into the sitting room. Barrett walked up the steps to the piano and ran his hand across it. He was dressed more casually than she had ever seen him, wearing black sweat pants and a dark gray shirt.

"Rogi should be here soon. I figured having someone familiar accompany you might make you more comfortable," Barrett said.

"I'll be fine."

"The crowd might be a little more stuffy than what you're used to at the lounge. Much more of a business environment, lots of stuffed shirts, if you know what I mean," Barrett explained.

Syd simply nodded in agreement. She followed Barrett through the archway and past the pool table. On the left side of the back room, she followed him up the staircase, which deposited them into a large hallway. Syd spied five doors, all closed. As Barrett walked, he pointed to the first one, on his right.

"That's my office," he said, before pointing to the first door on his left. "That's the master suite."

They continued down the hallway a bit and then paused. He pointed to his left again.

"This is the guest bedroom. The other two rooms are staff quarters. Vishus stays across the hall there and the one at the end of the hallway belongs to Consuela," Barrett said, before opening the doors.

As they walked in, Syd noticed how dark the room was. The only sign of light came from the closed blinds keeping out the bright sunlight of Newtech City.

"Lights!" Barrett spoke out, causing the room to become instantly lit.

Syd looked around the room, noticing the modern decorative style continued. The walls were painted black, but adorned with thin, tan-colored wood planks, giving it a rustic feel. He walked right over to a closet and opened it. Syd's jaw dropped as she saw the slender silver strapless silk dress hanging there. As she walked closer, she noticed the dress was trimmed in black. Syd knelt down on the floor, seeing a small white shoe box there. She opened it to find a pair of black high heels.

"Barrett...this is all too much," Syd said.

"Nonsense. I want my guests to be blown away. It'll make it a lot easier to talk them into giving donations," Barrett said, with a chuckle.

"It's all amazing."

"You can thank Mia. She picked everything out herself," Barrett said.

"She knows me well," Syd said with a smile.

"Good," he said, as he looked into her eyes. "You'll look perfect. I have no doubt."

As they stood there in nervous silence, Syd hoped and dreamed that someone would walk in so they weren't alone. No one did.

* * *

As Sophie dropped the classic S.P.D. shuttlecraft into the atmosphere of the planet Fernovia, she couldn't help but take in the lush green landscape that covered the planet. It was one of the most beautifully natural scenes she had ever witnessed. Even the structures seemed to be partially organic, with vines wrapped around them and even through them. As she piloted the craft closer to the designated landing point, however, she could see that things weren't so serene. She began to spy pillars of smoke in the distance. The shuttlecraft then sped by a large field, which was completely devoid of life. All that remained was a dark brown crater of burnt soil, another casualty of the recent bombings. 

Sophie heard an alert from her control panel and knew they were getting closer to the landing point. She flipped a switch, opening two-way communication between the cockpit and the aft compartment. She could hear Bridge and Quinn talking in back.

"That makes no sense," she heard Quinn say.

"But it does!" Bridge responded.

"He won't respond to you calling him Deuce!" Quinn shot back.

"Well, we can't go around calling him Delta X Series #01222 for the whole mission. Deuce is shorter and it makes sense," Bridge said quickly.

"We're not playing cards here, Bridge. He's a robot with delicate processors. You above all people should know that," Quinn said.

"I like Deuce. It fits. Right, Deuce?" Bridge said.

Sophie listened intently as the room went silent for a few seconds.

"Right, Bridge Carson," she heard the robot's voice.

"See! He gets it!" Bridge exclaimed.

Sophie nodded her head and leaned in closer to the panel.

"Guys, we're coming up on the landing zone," she announced.

At the sound of Sophie's words, she heard some stirring on the floor of the cockpit, as Murphy got to his feet. The doors to the aft compartment slid open. Bridge and Quinn entered, followed closely by the newly-dubbed robot, Deuce. Bridge walked up next to Sophie and glanced out the cockpit windows.

"There it is," Bridge said, as he pointed to a small circular landing pad.

"I don't see the Fernovian S.P.D. team," Sophie said, as she glanced around.

Quinn joined the two.

"That looks like a giant target," Quinn said.

"Relax, everybody. I'm sure it's fine," Bridge said.

A few more beeps were heard from the communications systems. Bridge flipped the appropriate switches.

"This is S.P.D. Fernovia. State your identity!"

"This is Officer Bridge Carson of S.P.D. Earth. My access designation is A639BC. We request permission to land."

"Permission granted. Be prepared to leave your vehicle immediately after landing!"

The three Rangers shared troubled glances. Moments later, the shuttlecraft had landed. Sophie strapped on her backpack, as Bridge and Quinn had their blasters drawn near the doorway. They heard a distinct pattern tapping on the shuttle doors.

"That's them," Bridge said, nodding to Sophie, who activated the doors, causing them to slide open.

Within seconds, they were faced with five blaster rifles pointed directly at them. Each blaster was in the hands of a Fernovian S.P.D. Ranger. They each sported their designated color and number. While their suits were similar in design to S.P.D. Earth's, they were also much different. Since Fernovian heads were larger than a human's was, their helmets were built to accommodate them. Their hands were much larger, with more slender, leaf-like fingers. Their gloves were adapted and fit perfectly. Instead of the familiar silver color, their S.P.D. badges were green, as were their blasters.

"Officer Carson?" the Red Ranger spoke, in a serious tone that reinforced the sense of tension.

"That's me," Bridge spoke up.

"We can't guarantee the safety of this location for very long. Let's move out!"

The Red Ranger sprinted back through the doors and into the tall brush a few feet away. At that point, the Fernovian Blue Ranger grabbed Bridge's arm and shuffled him out, following the Red Ranger's path. The Pink Ranger grabbed Sophie, as the Yellow Ranger scooped Murphy into her arms and followed. As the Green Fernovian Ranger grabbed Quinn by the arm, he saw Deuce standing behind him.

"What is that?" he asked.

"It's S.P.D.'s new patrol robot," Quinn responded. "Don't worry. He'll follow."

Quinn looked back at Deuce.

"Stay close to me. Don't stop until I do," Quinn commanded.

"Understood," Deuce responded, mechanically.

The Fernovian Green Ranger dashed through the doors, with Quinn clutched at his side, trying to keep up with his speed. Quinn glanced back briefly and saw Deuce was keeping pace with them. The last thing they needed was to lose this robot. Seconds later, they had caught up to the rest of the team, which herded them onto the Fernovian Academy grounds. The group stopped, as the Red Ranger grabbed his morpher, activating it.

"We're in! Close the shield!"

The Fernovian S.P.D. Rangers watched as the invisible shielding activated. Only a simple shimmer alerted them to it being active. Bridge & Quinn took a few moments to catch their breaths. Bridge looked back at the Fernovians.

"Was all that really necessary?" Bridge asked. "We still have to go back for our belongings."

At that moment, the group saw the shuttlecraft explode in the distance.

"It was necessary," the Red Ranger stated.

"No kidding," Quinn spoke, under his breath.

"I guess we won't be leaving anytime soon," Sophie said.

"Come. We will debrief you," the Red Ranger stated, before turning and heading into the Fernovian S.P.D. Base.

The other Fernovian Rangers followed closely behind him, along with Sophie, Deuce and Murphy. Quinn was right behind them, when he noticed Bridge still staring off in the direction of the smoking wreckage of the shuttle.

"Bridge?"

"My favorite pair of gloves were in there."

Quinn sighed, as he walked over and grabbed Bridge around the shoulder, seeing his pouting lips. He guided Bridge back towards the Base.

* * *

Back on Earth, Commander Kat Manx was studying the monitor in front of her. You could hear a pin drop in her office, as she looked over the schematics on the screen in front of her. What she had learned was that the Delta X Series was the latest and possibly greatest technology to be created for S.P.D.. But, like all great things, they had to come at a great price. She hadn't found any weaknesses beyond the communications problem which Dr. Jensen had fixed. There had to be more, she thought, as her door chime sounded. 

"Come in," Kat said, flatly.

She looked over to see Pryce Jensen coming towards her.

"What's up?" she asked.

"X-Squad apparently," he said as he peeked at her monitor. "Find the trap in the trojan horse yet?"

Kat looked up into his eyes, seeing his sarcastic look. Her eyes narrowed on him, showing him her annoyance.

"Is there some reason you've come to torment me today, Pryce?"

"No warfare planned for this visit. I promise," Pryce said, as he held his arms up in surrender.

Kat couldn't help but notice the similarities between the two of them. If this were a year ago, she would be talking to Doggie Cruger the exact same way. Pryce even resembled her in his attire. She noticed him wearing black pants and an untucked white dress shirt, underneath a black sweater vest, with his S.P.D. insignia pin over his left breast.

"So what did you come for?"

"Well, I know you've got questions about the Delta X project and I think I have a solution," he explained.

"What's that?"

Kat watched Pryce pull a postcard sized envelope from his pocket. He handed it to Kat.

"I got this a few days ago. Given my busy schedule, I wasn't going to attend, but in light of these new developments, I thought it might be useful if I did," Pryce said, as Kat opened the envelope, pulling out the invitation inside.

"This is a fundraiser for Vanguard X. It's tonight," Kat said, curiously.

"It's supposed to help raise funds for a new research facility. It's being held by some local businessman. But, I just heard Artim Grace is gonna be there," Pryce said.

"The chairman of Vanguard X? Why haven't I heard about this?"

"You've pretty much dropped off their map since becoming Commander. I think they heard about your promotion and deleted you from the Science Association's mailing list," Pryce explained.

"Talking to Artim Grace might help with my questions," Kat said, as she stood up from her desk, pondering the possibilities. She glanced back at the invitation. "This is being held at the home of Barrett Van Tigue. That's interesting."

"Why's that?" Pryce asked, curiously.

"He's just not much of a scientific mind. That's all. He gives to a lot of local charities, though."

"Makes sense to me," Pryce said.

"Yeah," Kat said, as her mind was moving almost faster than she could reason. "I have to attend this thing."

"You're welcome to come...as my date," Pryce said, with a twinkle in his eye.

"Dream on. I'm going, but there's not gonna be any funny business," Kat said, as she walked up to him, glad that she had opted to wear heels so she could look him in the eye.

"Just my luck. My first date since being back on Earth and I'm already getting shut down," Pryce said, with a grin.

Kat leaned closer to his ear and whispered.

"Get used to it."

She walked past him and out of the office, knowing there were only a few hours before the festivities were set to begin.

* * *

On Andruss III, there weren't many houses. In fact, there were no houses. This was a planet of movers. Given the steady political climate, no one ever had time to really plant roots there. Karovian Towers was the largest of a string of penthouse style living complexes. The entire top floor of the twenty-story building was reserved for Space Patrol Delta's Supreme Commander. These days, Doggie Cruger spent very little time there. But, the quarters were being occupied by his wife, Isinia and Earth's Red Ranger, Sky Tate. It was only a few blocks from the Galactic Council Center making it the perfect accommodation. 

As Sky exited his personal quarters, he nodded at the two guards in the hallway. Guards had become a permanent fixture around him. Luckily, he wasn't a flight risk or considered dangerous, or they might not have been just in the hallway. Sky walked a few feet across the hall and hit the door chime to the main quarters on the floor. Seconds passed before the doors slid open and he walked in.

Sky found Isinia Cruger seated at the head of the table in the dining area, glancing down at a collection of LCD data pads. Sky counted a dozen, as he came closer to her.

"Am I interrupting?"

"Just going over strategy for the hearing. Join me," Isinia said, with a tired smile.

"What have you come up with?" Sky asked.

"Well, I've been reading the statements from the Council over and over, trying to make sure I have our bases covered. I'm certain that Advocate Grutton is going to try to paint you and S.P.D. Earth as being some sort of rogue entity that doesn't go by the rules. He's going to try to discredit you, ignoring Omallix and the threat he posed. He's going to make it all about your faults and not about Omallix's threat," Isinia surmised.

"Isn't it all about my faults?"

Isinia looked over at Sky's somber face and sighed.

"I am the one accused of a crime," Sky added.

"I know. But, these were extraordinary circumstances. Your direct superior was dead and as far as anyone else knew, Omallix had killed Doggie. The S.P.D. handbook authorizes the use of force in extreme cases," Isinia said.

"Still, it's not the first time I messed up."

"Your track record is nothing to be ashamed of. You grew as a person. We're all the sum of our experiences. I'm a living example of that," Isinia said, nodding. "I spent decades in Gruumm's clutches. Never knowing if I would see my family again or if I would see sunlight again and look where I am now. Everything I experienced helped to make me the person I am now. I knew I had to turn the negatives into positives."

"Negatives into positives, huh? I like the sound of that," Sky said.

"You should. You've done the same thing. You accepted your past, your history, your brother. You've accepted your faults and worked to correct them. That's what I want the Council to see," Isinia said, as she patted Sky's hand on the table.

Sky smiled at her.

"Thanks. You know, I had reservations when Cruger wanted you as my Advocate. I'm glad I corrected that too," Sky said.

"So am I," Isinia said.

* * *

From the outside, the Fernovian Delta Command Base looked almost exactly like the one on Earth, except for it's green tinting. Inside, however, things were much different. As the group of now-unmorphed Fernovian cadets led Earth's S.P.D. team through the corridors of the base, Quinn couldn't help but be intrigued by the design. As they walked on the ground floor, he noticed the hallway ceilings were non-existent. He glanced up, seeing all the way to the base's ceiling. Several vines hung from there, all the way down to the bottom floor. That was how the cadets moved from one floor to the next. They turned a corner and walked into the two-story Command Center, as the group's Red Ranger, Frane, was still explaining their situation. 

"That's when we lost our Commander," he continued. "He was really the spirit that kept us strong. We've been struggling for so long."

"Sounds like five months of one disaster after another," Bridge said, somberly.

"Yes. And the bombings never seem to stop. We give them the payment they demand and things quiet down for a day or two, maybe a week. Then, they just start up again," Frane explained.

The ground floor of the Command Center resembled the one on Earth, except that all of the work stations lined the back wall of the room. The main control console in the middle of the room was also a bit different. It was circular in design, but the middle was hollow. A large green vine hung from the second floor of the room, allowing for quick movement. The holographic monitor which was usually housed in the center of the main control console was embedded in the left wall for full-room access. Quinn liked the innovative look, designed to compliment the Fernovian lifestyle.

"We're here to help with whatever you need," Bridge told Frane. "But, we hope before we leave that this situation will be resolved."

"I don't even know how that's possible…unless you have an army of reinforcements on the way," the Blue Ranger, Melyk grunted. Quinn had observed him to be the moody one on the team.

It wasn't surprising that none of the cadets were in good spirits. Their planet was under siege from unseen evil and they were left without any other leadership.

"Sometimes you don't need an army to bring one down," Bridge said. "Besides, we don't know if we're actually dealing with an army or not. Your reports said you've never seen these terrorists, except for one attack, right?"

"Yes," the Yellow Ranger, Bretti spoke. "Melyk and I went to one of the ransom drop-off points and we heard rustling. I think one of them must have tripped."

"We confronted them," Melyk chimed in. "They were skilled fighters. They looked like you."

"You mean they looked human?" Sophie asked.

Bretti nodded.

"They were dressed in dark clothing. They retreated into the brush after a few minutes of sparring," she said.

"How many were there?" Bridge asked, curiously.

"Two. But, we heard other rustling nearby," Melyk. "The rest of their crew must have left them behind."

"Do you have footage of that attack?" Bridge asked.

"Yes," Frane said, as he led Bridge and Sophie over to the holographic monitor. Melyk and Bretti followed.

Quinn noticed the silent Pink Ranger, Erial, seemed more down than the others. He watched her climb the center vine, heading into the upper level. He glanced at the others watching the projection. The Fernovian Green Ranger, Clestro headed over to the tracking station. He seemed almost as tough as the Red Ranger. He had offered to put a team together to check on the debris of the shuttle to see if anything was salvageable. Quinn saw him scanning that area, probably coming up with a plan of action to head back to the wreckage. Once he made sure that Deuce was secure and silent standing at the doorway, he glanced back to the upper level.

He pushed himself off the ground, using his genetic power and began gliding upwards. As he passed through the large circular hole in the ceiling, he saw Erial wasn't working at all. She was leaning against the safety railing there, staring at a graphic of the detonators that were used to bomb the planet. Quinn glided over to the catwalk that surrounded the hole. He grabbed onto the railing and hopped over it. As his boots touched the metal catwalk, Erial heard them. She jumped a bit, surprised at his appearance. As Quinn moved closer he could see the tear stain on her gray cadet's uniform.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm just so happy to see outsiders," Erial said.

Quinn noticed she spoke softly, almost timidly. It wasn't a trait seen often in active Rangers.

"I know it's been tough. But, we are here to help," Quinn said as he took up a position next to her, also leaning against the railing.

He glanced at the four control stations on the top level.

"I wish your shuttle hadn't been hit," Erial said.

"It's okay. We weren't in a hurry to leave."

"I was," Erial said, sadly.

"Excuse me?"

"I was planning on asking you all to take me with you," Erial said.

Quinn watched her leafy fingers begin to shake.

"You want to leave?"

"I have to leave," Erial revealed. "I can't stand it anymore. The sounds of the explosions. Just when you quiet your nerves, it happens again. We've lost so much. Frane would probably never tell you this, but we're all inexperienced. He and Clestro are the only A-Squad members on the team. The rest of us are C-Squad."

"What happened to B-Squad?" Quinn asked.

"Two of them died in a bombing. The others all requested transfers off the planet."

"I take it you have too?" Quinn guessed.

Erial bowed her head in shame.

"I hate to leave my home…I just can't bear much more. They keep getting their ransom, but they won't stop. The whole planet's a hostage to them."

"We're here to help," Quinn said. "You can't give up."

"Why not? Melyk's ready to. He's submitted his transfer request too," Erial said, referring to the team's Blue Ranger.

"Where I come from, we don't give up," Quinn said. "I never could."

"Guteecha!" Erial snapped at him, in her native language.

"Rothay!" Quinn spoke back in Fernovian, catching her off-guard.

"You speak Fernovian?" Erial asked.

"I speak a lot of languages. Fernovian's one of my favorites," Quinn revealed. "I always wanted to visit. This is my first time."

"It's usually so beautiful," Erial said.

"It still is," Quinn said, confidently. He put a hand on her shoulder. "You just have to look deeper."

* * *

Back on Earth, Kat was once again in her office. This time, speaking with her superior. Cruger's face filled her monitor's screen. Kat had sat spellbound as Cruger told her the origins of the Delta X project. 

"Commander Birdy?" Kat repeated the news.

"Yes. I contacted his old assistant. It's true. Birdy was hoping to get the project off the ground just before Omallix struck on Earth. Those events, and of course his death, delayed things," Cruger explained.

"I'm still surprised," Kat said.

"Apparently he had more faith in us than he let on," Cruger said. "There's still more to be done, though. Have you heard from Carson's team?"

"Not yet. They should have landed on Fernovia by now," Kat responded.

"Let me know once you hear from them," Cruger ordered.

"Of course. In the meantime, I'm hoping to get a few answers about X-Squad from the source," Kat said. "There's a Vanguard X fundraiser this evening. Artim Grace will be there."

"And so will you?"

"You know me too well," Kat said, with a grin.

"Good luck," Cruger said.

"Thank you, sir," Kat said, as she signed off, just as her office door chime sounded. "Come in."

The doors slid open and Kat was taken aback by the sight of Pryce Jensen in a formal suit. His hair was perfectly placed, as he tugged at his blazer.

"So, what do ya think?" he said, with a smile.

"I think you're ready to party," Kat said, as she stood up from her desk, fully revealing the black low-cut, spaghetti-strapped dress she was wearing.

"Oh…my," Pryce muttered, as his jaw dropped.

Kat walked up to him and gently placed her hand under his chin, closing his mouth.

"No drooling on my floor," Kat said, slyly.

She walked past him and the doors to the office slid open. She stood at the doorway and noticed he hadn't moved from his spot. She turned her head towards him.

"You coming?"

"Right behind you," Pryce said as he regained his senses. As he walked over to her, he noticed her dress wasn't just cut low in the front. The spotted freckles that lined Kat's face extended behind her and down her back. "So, how far down do they go?"

"You'll never know," Kat said, coyly, as she strolled down the corridor.

* * *

Back on Fernovia, Bridge found himself trying to get settled. The common room that the Fernovians had set up for them outside of their quarters on the first floor didn't have many amenities. He was becoming familiar with the food dispenser, tapping at the controls. He glanced at Sophie who was sitting at a nearby desk, leaning down, fiddling with Murphy's circuitry. 

"It may take me a while to program this thing to make toast," Bridge called out to her.

"Bridge, you can go without toast for a few days, can't you?" Sophie asked.

"I don't want to find out," Bridge said, giving her a panicked look.

Standing near the doorway, Deuce tilted his head curiously, watching Sophie work.

"What are you doing, Sophie?" he spoke, in his monotone voice.

"Well, I'm checking Murphy's scanning systems to make sure they're working properly. He hasn't sniffed out any detonators on the Academy grounds, which is a good thing. I just want to make sure we didn't miss anything, especially after what happened with the shuttle" Sophie explained.

"Why isn't anyone checking my scanning systems?" Deuce wondered.

"The basics of your circuitry are pretty much the same as Murphy's so if he's working, you should be too," Sophie said.

"Then why don't you check my systems, instead of his?"

Sophie seemed to be at a loss. Bridge walked over.

"Deuce, you're new and Murphy's old. He needs more checking than you do," Bridge said, as he patted the robot on the shoulder, until it turned its head to look at him. Bridge promptly moved his hand.

"Besides, we aren't authorized to do much internal work on your systems," Sophie said. "You're still experimental."

"But, you've given me a name," Deuce said. "I am Deuce."

"Right," Bridge said, looking troubled. "I'm not sure how to put this. You're a prototype, so scientists like Dr. Jensen are more qualified to take care of you than we are."

"I see," Deuce said simply, as he turned and walked back to his spot by the doorway.

"He's like a robot kid when you think about it," Bridge said. "Do you remember being like him?"

"No," Sophie said quickly. "Don't confuse robots and cyborgs, Carson! I've got an actual brain in my head, self-awareness, and emotion. It's not exactly the same."

"I know that," Bridge said, as he waved his cybernetic arm. "I'm in the club too remember."

Sophie smirked. "Murphy's all done. He should be picking up detonators with no problem."

"Did you figure out why Murphy didn't detect the one near the shuttle?"

"We were shuffled out of there so quickly, he just didn't have time to pick up on it," Sophie said. "His systems are working perfectly."

"We'll be testing them out in no time," Bridge said, as he thought about his plan to weed out the terrorists, as Sophie nodded along.

* * *

The night sky above Newtech City was illuminated by the bright moon of this night. The evening darkness helped to bring out the colors inside Barrett Van Tigue's mansion. As Kat and Pryce approached the front door, it seemed that every light in the place was on. There was definitely something interesting happening inside. Pryce's finger approached the doorbell when Kat grabbed his arm. 

"Remember, this isn't a date," Kat said.

"I know!" Pryce said, as he tapped the doorbell.

The doors opened and they were greeted by Van Tigue's personal security, Lady Vishus. Wearing a black gown, with a white fur rabbit collar cradling her neck, Kat was unsettled upon seeing her. The woman's hair was tied above her head and seemed to sprout from her skull in black and white tendrils.

"Welcome," Vishus said, through her red painted lips. "Invitations, please."

Pryce handed her his envelope and she examined it for only a second, before allowing their entrance. She closed the doors and guided them into the sitting room, which was occupied by over a dozen other guests, chatting amongst themselves. Kat spied their host, as Vishus waved to him.

"Mr. Van Tigue wishes to greet every guest personally," she whispered into their ears, before walking off into the kitchen.

Kat smiled cordially, as she saw Barrett Van Tigue approaching. He wore a black suit, with a black dress shirt underneath. The only item of color in his outfit was a white tie, which matched his date, whom Kat saw on Barrett's arm. She was a pretty girl, with her flowing dark hair and white dress.

"Good evening, I'm Barrett Van Tigue. Welcome to my home," he said.

"Thank you," Kat spoke up first, muting any greeting from Pryce. "I'm Doctor Kat Manx and this is Doctor Pryce Jensen. We're with Space Patrol Delta."

"So, you must be fans of Vanguard X, then," Van Tigue said, with a grin.

"Definitely," Pryce chimed in.

"Is that Artim Grace?" Kat said, as she looked off in the distance at the dark-skinned man sitting on the couch, mingling with two other guests.

"Good eye," Barrett said. "I can introduce you."

"We've met already," Kat said. "But thank you."

Kat subtly locked arms with Pryce and headed for Artim Grace. Pryce glanced back at Van Tigue.

"Lovely house you have," he called out.

He saw Barrett give a thankful nod, as his date spoke for the first time.

"Enjoy the party," Mia said, somberly.

"Are you all right, darling?" Barrett asked her.

"I just thought we might get a little time to talk. That's all," Mia said.

"Later, Mia. Right now, I have to play host," Van Tigue said, as he was summoned by another guest, leaving Mia behind.

Nearby, Artim Grace rose from his seat upon seeing Kat Manx heading in his direction.

"Dr. Manx, it's been ages," Artim spoke, in his even tone.

Unlike many scientists, he spoke comfortably in any situation. That's because Artim Grace wasn't a scientist. The African American man was a figurehead. He handled the business of Vanguard X, while his scientists handled the actual production.

"Hello Mr. Grace. It's been too long. This is Dr. Pryce Jensen," Kat said.

"I've heard a lot about you Dr. Jensen," Artim revealed.

"Same here," Pryce said, as the two human men shook hands.

"We just received the Delta X Series at the base," Kat said, looking for any signs of nervousness from him.

"I'm glad we could finally get them to you," Artim said. "We've had those prototypes ready to go for a while now. Of course with all the trouble S.P.D. went through last year with the attacks, we didn't think it was appropriate to send them along for testing."

"Of course," Pryce said, giving Kat a look of obviousness.

"Dr. Jiang's in charge of the project on our end. He has an assembly line already reserved once we get the go ahead to mass produce them," Artim revealed.

"Supreme Commander Birdy would have been proud," Kat said, still fishing.

"Birdy?" Pryce said, looking confused.

"Yes," Artim added, looking at Pryce. "You didn't know Birdy sanctioned the project?"

"I wasn't aware," Pryce said, as he looked curiously at Kat.

"Well, we're looking forward to the field testing," Kat said, keeping her eyes on Artim.

"Keep me posted on the progress. I'm sure Dr. Jiang will want to be informed," Artim said, with a smile.

"Of course," Kat said, grinning.

* * *

Upstairs, Syd peeked out into the hallway from the guest bedroom. She took a deep breath and stepped out into the hallway, fully dressed for her performance, but not concerned with that. She slowly walked towards Barrett's office door. As she got closer she could see the staircase leading downstairs. The sound of chattering voices kept her on-guard. She took a few more steps and reached out her hand. As she felt the doorknob in her grasp, a hand grabbed her shoulder. 

"Syren?"

Syd turned to see Mia Storm looking curiously at her.

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for a mirror," Syd said, covering quickly. "The one in the guest bedroom only showed me my hair."

Mia smiled and pointed to the master suite.

"Here, you can use mine. It's floor-length," Mia said, as she opened the double doors to the large bedroom.

Syd admired the space. She glanced at the glass door that led out to a balcony. The two had their own private bathroom, which looked spacious from Syd's view. Mia guided her over to the large mirror next to a massive closet, which she guessed also belonged to Mia.

Syd stared at her reflection, noticing that the dress indeed did fit perfectly.

"You look amazing," Mia said.

"Thanks. I had a good shopper," She said, winking at Mia.

"I knew it would be perfect. I like what you did with your hair too," Mia commented.

Syd had straightened her hair completely, styling it so that it draped forward on her head, allowing some of it to partially cover the right side of her face.

"Thanks," Syd said, as she noticed Mia didn't appear very happy. "You okay?"

"Don't mind me," Mia said, waving Syd off. "I'm just thinking about Anna."

"Any movement on that situation?"

"Yes, but not from my end. Mrs. Bradshaw called me. She said one of Anna's friends was adopted. Anna seemed more optimistic to the idea after seeing her friend happy," Mia explained.

"But, she knows you're trying to get her back?"

"Of course. I even called her on that cellphone I gave her. She still wants to be with me. I just can't get Barrett's attention on it," Mia said. "Trying to find time alone with him to talk is getting futile."

"Keep trying, Mia. Once Barrett understands how short time is, he'll help."

"You sound like me…six months ago," Mia said, with a sarcastic smile. "We better get downstairs. I think most of the guests have arrived."

Syd nodded and headed out of the room and down the staircase, hearing a few excited whispers as she passed guests in Barrett's rec room. She passed through the archway into the sitting room and all eyes appeared to be on her, as she made her way to the stage, nodding at Rogi on the piano. Barrett joined her, with a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am so happy at the turnout this evening," Barrett said. "Donations are already pouring in and I'm sure that Vanguard X appreciates all of them. So, enjoy the drinks and the food. My staff is here to serve your every need, including your musical ones. It's my pleasure to introduce you to Syren Dean. Her voice is so soothing, you won't be able to get it out of your head. I know I haven't."

The crowd applauded, as Barrett handed Syd the microphone. Rogi began to play her first tune on the piano and she looked out at the crowd, many of whom had gathered near the stage. As she looked out over the group, her eyes stopped on one guest. She saw Kat Manx slowly nod at her. Syd smiled.

* * *

Inside the penthouse of Karovian Towers, Isinia unpacked her medication. She carefully unwrapped a large needle, as she placed the small medicinal fluid bottle on the table, near her bed. As she filled the needle, her keen hearing alerted her to footsteps nearby. 

"Sky?" she said aloud.

"You heard me coming?" Sky wondered.

"Can't always turn off the ears," Isinia said, as she pinpointed the spot on her leg where she intended to inject herself.

"Do those hurt?" Sky asked.

"Not anymore. The first couple of times scared me to death," Isinia revealed. "But, I guess we do what we have to do to protect our children."

"They're gonna be good kids," Sky predicted.

After removing the empty syringe from her leg, Isinia chuckled.

"You think so?"

"Yeah. They're gonna have you and Doggie raising them. They won't have any choice," Sky said, with a smile.

"No offense, but it's been my experience that the children of officers are usually the most headstrong and disobedient," Isinia said. "I doubt ours will be immune."

"Well, speaking from _my_ experience…you're absolutely right."

"It's going to be difficult either way. Doggie's so dedicated to his work," Isinia said.

Sky nodded.

"Just like my dad."

"I can't help sensing the impending parallels. Not that I think anything bad will happen to my husband," Isinia explained. "Still S.P.D. and all of you are his children already. He's got a full house."

"Trust me, he'll make room for those two. Just like my dad did for Quinn, even though none of us knew about it," Sky said, with a sigh.

"I'm glad you can talk about it like that," Isinia said. "Have you and Quinn ever…"

"Talked about my dad? No. But, once this hearing is over, I'm going to make sure we do. Life is way too short. We've come to an understanding, but it's been pretty much non-verbal."

"You have to start somewhere," Isinia said.

"That's right," Sky said as he headed out. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Isinia nodded.

"Good night, Sky."

* * *

As Syren Dean's song came to an end, the mingling at the party continued. She nodded to Rogi, who had already begun playing some generic tunes on the piano to appease the ears of their audience, while she took a break. Syren stepped off of the stage and made her way through the crowd, accepting compliments from some guests. As she made her way to the bar, she appeared to be looking for someone. She glanced into the rec room and saw her target heading towards the bathroom. Syd walked quickly over to her, purposely bumping into the taller woman. 

"I'm so sorry," Syd said.

Kat looked over at her and paused for just a moment.

"Did you need to go in?" she asked, pointing into the bathroom.

"No. I can wait my turn," Syd said with a smile, as Kat slipped inside.

Syd waited until she saw no one looking in her direction and ducked inside the bathroom. She closed the door behind her, locking it. She walked over to Kat, standing at the sink.

"That Syren Dean is quite a singer!" Kat said.

"Why thank you," Syd said, with a smile.

Kat opened her small purse and pulled out a scanning device, which she waved across the room. She shook her head at Syd.

"It's safe to talk," Kat confirmed. "How are things going?"

"Slow," Syd said. "Barrett's keeping his nose clean, from what I can tell."

"Doggie told me your last report was pretty bare," Kat said. "You have to keep trying. We've been hearing chatter from several sources on the east side of Newtech City that Van Tigue is planning something big. Judging by his sudden interest in science, I'm guessing he wants to keep his ears open for any information about Space Patrol Delta."

"I agree," Syd said.

"All right. We can't stay in here long. We don't want to raise suspicions," Kat said, as she repacked her purse and headed for the doors.

"Kat?"

"Yeah, Syd."

"How's Sky doing? I heard his hearing's starting soon."

"He's okay," Kat said, with a nod, before slipping out of the room while no one was watching.

As she made her way back to the sitting area, she spotted Pryce getting another drink from the bar, as he chatted happily with Barrett Van Tigue. Seconds later, Syd grazed her shoulder in passing. She leaned over to Kat.

"Looks like you've got your own investigating to do," Syd whispered.

Kat stared back at Pryce, who couldn't see her. She frowned.

* * *

"Isinia?" Cruger called out as he entered the penthouse. 

"Well, hello stranger," Isinia said, as she emerged from the bedroom, hugging her husband. "You're home?"

"Yes, for the night." Cruger nodded. "How are preparations going for the hearing?"

"As well as can be expected," Isinia said. "I'll be ready."

"Good," Cruger said, as he stroked her cheek. "How's Sky?"

"I think Sky is going to be okay," Isinia said. "It's taken him a long time to get to where he is. This hearing isn't a good thing for his career, but it's allowing him to be a little more introspective, I think."

Cruger nodded along, as his hands rubbed her belly.

"And how are the pups?" he asked, going down his mental checklist.

"They are perfect, I'm sure," Isinia said.

"What about us? How are we?" Cruger said, as he glanced down into his wife's eyes.

"We're good," Isinia said, as she embraced her husband. "We're good."

Cruger glanced out the windows at the bright night of Andruss III. It was approaching midnight there, but the sun was as bright as ever. It gave him hope that the futures of those he cared for would be bright and that the troubles that clouded his mind were unwarranted and completely safe.

* * *

As the guests began to disperse at Barrett's house, Syd found herself in the rec room, near the staircase. She had been looking for an opportunity to slip up the stairs and sneak into Barrett's office, but none had come up. Even now, she couldn't make her move with Rogi chatting her ear off. 

"…and that was when I told her that I wasn't some kind of can opener!" he said, with a chuckle. "She'd clearly had too much to drink. I'll have you know I never even thought of touching the stuff since I've been here."

"That's great Rogi. It's getting late," she said.

"Yes. I should be going. Can I give you a ride back to the lounge? It's on my way."

"No, thanks. I drove my car."

"Of course," Rogi said, as he quickly bowed. "Good night, Syren."

"Good night."

She watched Lady Vishus herding him out with the other guests and she saw a clear path to her destination. She slowly made her way up the staircase and headed for Barrett's office, until she saw it was off-limits. The door was ajar. She could hear Mia's voice talking tensely. It didn't take much effort to realize who she was talking to.

"You don't understand. Anna could be gone forever!"

"Mia, don't get yourself all worked up. That's not going to help Anna," Barrett responded.

"Neither are you, apparently!"

"It's not like that. I adore Anna. You know that. Things are just so busy around here and some of my business deals are getting complicated. They need my full attention," Barrett explained. "Besides, the lawyer I hired for you is working on Anna's case. I'm sure he can get this adoption thing postponed."

"I hope you're right," Mia said, as Syd could hear her on the verge of tears. "If not, I may never see my daughter again."

Syd slowly backed away from the door, not realizing anyone else was around until she heard a familiar voice.

"Lose your way, señorita?"

Syd turned around to see Consuela emerging from her quarters at the end of the hallway. Syd watched her tightening the handkerchief she wrapped around her head.

"I was just on my way to change," Syd said quietly.

"I see. Would you mind tying me?" Consuela asked as she turned around, showing Syd her white apron straps hanging loose.

"Sure," Syd said.

"Did you enjoy the party?" Consuela asked, warmly.

"It was interesting. Everyone seemed to like the music."

"Better than my own, I'm sure," Consuela said with a light chuckle. "Gracias."

She headed for the staircase, as Syd opened the door to the guest bedroom. Consuela turned back to her for a moment.

"Be careful, young one," Consuela said, seriously. "This isn't the place to be getting lost."

Syd nodded and disappeared into the bedroom. With the door closed, she sighed, knowing what Consuela said was the truth.

* * *

Inside the Fernovian Delta Command Base, Quinn found himself heading down towards the ground floor, with Erial. As she climbed down the large green vine, he simply descended, using his levitation powers. He kept pace with her speed. 

"So do you feel any better?" Quinn asked, as they reached the ground floor.

"A little. I'm glad you're all here," Erial said. "But you haven't changed my mind. So many of our people are fleeing. My own family left months ago. My mother begged me to go too."

"But you didn't," Quinn said, as they began to stroll down the corridor. "Something in you knew you had to stay."

"I'm not sure that something is there anymore," Erial revealed.

Their walk was interrupted, as they heard running footsteps coming in their direction. They sped up, as Bridge and Sophie came trotting around the corner, followed by Frane and Melyk.

"What's going on?" Quinn asked.

"Clestro and Bretti. They went out to check the wreckage of your shuttle," Frane spoke tensely. "We've picked up bombings in that area. We missed the latest ransom drop."

"I told them to take Murphy with them, but they didn't," Sophie said.

"We have to do something," Quinn said.

"It's time to put my plan into action," Bridge said.

"Are we all going?" Erial asked, nervously.

"We could use all the help we can get," Bridge said, knowing the Fernovian Green and Yellow Rangers might have already perished out there.

"I'll get Murphy and Deuce," Sophie said, as she ran off down the hallway.

"They never should have gone out there," Melyk chimed in.

"Be quiet, Melyk," Frane said. "I need you at your best. That goes for you too, Erial."

The four males headed off, as Erial seemed stuck in her spot. Quinn looked back, sensing her fear.

"Your team needs you. Are you coming?" Quinn asked, as he reached a hand out to her.

As he felt her leafy digits in his palm, he walked off with her to catch up to the others, heading into a situation that he had never faced before. Quinn held tight to his own words of encouragement, knowing that if he showed his fear, he could fracture the confidence he had helped Erial conjure.

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Orders"**  
_On Fernovia, the situation grows more desperate as the  
Combined forces of Fernovia and Earth's SPD head into  
A dangerous battle. Bridge appears to have the answer,  
But will Deuce's presence lead to even more trouble?  
Kat prepares to testify before the Galactic Council.  
Mia overhears a phone call to Barrett that could change  
Everything and is there a spy inside SPD Earth?_


	6. Order

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"ORDER"**

In the year 2027, there were few places in the galaxy that were known for their abundance of nature. Fernovia was one of those places. Even from space, approaching visitors could see the greenery. In fact, the entire planet seemed to be green. But on this day, Fernovia looked nothing like Quinn Gray imagined. The formerly pure landscape was no longer bursting with life. It was burning with despair. Green leaves had become brown, their soil burnt beyond repair. The pure blue sky had become grayer, more tainted. Even as he trudged through the forest a mile away from the Fernovian Academy, Quinn could still feel how different it was from all of the images he had seen growing up.

Beneath his S.W.A.T. armor, beneath his power suit, beneath his dark helmet, Quinn felt almost as if he was suffocating. Fernovia was known for its clean atmosphere, but it had been invaded with smoke. He hadn't even been there an entire day and he already understood the worry for Fernovia's future. As he glanced a few meters to his left, he spotted Fernovia's Pink Ranger, Erial. He sympathized with her. He was never sure he could tell her that. He didn't want her to give up and abandon her home, no matter how tough things got.

"Over here."

The hushed voice was coming from the Fernovian Blue Ranger, Melyk and caught the attention of the entire team. As they moved slowly and methodically towards his position. Quinn glanced behind for only a second to make sure that the Delta X Series robot, affectionately dubbed Deuce, was following obediently. Quinn was right behind Bridge, covering him at every turn, as Earth's Blue Ranger gently brushed a tree branch away, seeing Melyk kneeling on the ground, holding a piece of cloth.

"What is it?" Erial spoke, as she and Sophie came into view on the other side of the Blue Ranger.

Fernovia's Red Ranger, Frane was right behind them, with Murphy at his side. The robotic patrol hound's head bobbed in every direction, as his scanners were working at top speed to analyze the area around them, searching for any signs of explosives. Bridge and Frane knelt at Melyk's side to get closer looks at the cloth.

"It's a piece of Bretti's uniform," Frane confirmed, as he stared at the yellow cloth, which looked to be burned.

"Oh no," Erial exclaimed, as her hand instinctively raised to her helmet's silver plating that covered her mouth.

Quinn wanted to reach out to her, but it was too dangerous. If something sinister had happened to Bretti, the area wasn't secure. He continued to monitor his surroundings, while also trying to keep an eye on his new friend.

"I told you not to let them go!" Melyk snapped at Frane.

"_Groffa_!" Frane spoke sternly in his native language.

Quinn got even more nervous as he knew Frane had just ordered Melyk to keep focused. Quinn already believed Fernovia's Blue Ranger to be a loose cannon. He was even more sure of it after learning that the Fernovian had requested a transfer off the planet. He was willing to give up this fight and part of Quinn knew that could be a liability now. He watched as Bridge stood back up, glancing into the sky at the waning smoke nearby.

"We're close to the landing pad. We should keep moving," he said.

"Poor Bretti," Erial mumbled.

Sophie placed a hand on her shoulder.

"There's no other signs of DNA or blood," Sophie said. "She may still be okay."

"We can't stay still for too long. It will allow our enemies to surround us. Let's move on," Frane said, seemingly ignoring Bridge's previous statement of the same thing.

The Red Ranger picked up his pace almost immediately after standing up, going forward through the brush, which began to clear, as they got closer to the shuttle landing zone. He brushed aside burnt bushes, as he came to a clearing, where the wreckage was now in clear view. He paused for a second, before starting towards the shuttle, which was still engulfed in heavy smoke. As he planted his foot on the ground, a high-pitched sound filled the area.

Sophie knew exactly what it was.

"Nobody move!" she shouted.

Everyone stopped in their tracks, as Sophie glanced down at Murphy, seeing his faceplate flashing a red siren. Sophie glanced over at Bridge, nodding her head.

"Detonators," Bridge said, seriously.

"Where?" Quinn asked, as he could feel the tension coming from Erial, now at his side.

"Deuce, can you read them?" Bridge inquired.

The faceplate of the hulking robot lit up.

"Affirmative, Bridge Carson," Deuce responded. "There are several. According to my scanners, there seems to be a central power source controlling them all. Would you like me to deactivate it?"

Bridge shared a quick nod with Frane, before turning his head back to Deuce.

"Do it," Bridge ordered.

The Delta X robot slowly and carefully maneuvered past the six Rangers and Murphy and walked further into the clearing, approaching the smoking shuttle. The robot stopped several feet away from the group. The entire area looked completely safe, until the robot reached out his arm and began tapping at the air. The group could hear the faint sound of beeps in unison with his pointing digits. Seconds later, the detonator became visible.

The circular bomb was the size of an Earth basketball. It's metal casing contained several spiked protrusions. Sophie deduced that the design would make it easy to place them almost anywhere, especially if they could hover freely in the air and become invisible.

"You said there were more?" Quinn called out.

"It was probably a false reading," the Red Ranger, Frane said, as he took a step forward, only to be grabbed by Bridge and stopped from moving anymore.

"Deuce?" Bridge spoke.

"It may take a few seconds for the others to become visible," Deuce said.

As if on cue, a dozen more of the explosives appeared out of thin air. Popping up like blips on minefield radar. They were littered all around the shuttle area. Frane glanced around at them and almost lost his breath when he turned and saw that one was hovering only inches away from his head. If he had taken another step forward, his skull might have been permanently removed. Sophie stepped forward, maneuvering through the detonators, until she made it to the main trigger in the middle of them all. Standing next to Deuce, she pressed a few buttons on it, causing it to fall to the ground, along with all of the others. The Rangers breathed a bit easier, as they came forward.

Bridge joined Sophie at her side, as she picked up the main detonator.

"Remarkable," Sophie said. "The others won't activate until this one does. We could have walked all the way to this spot without every knowing they were here."

"And we would have been blown away," Bridge added.

"Once this one in the middle becomes active, the others follow suit. They were placed so purposefully," Sophie explained.

"There is something here."

They heard Deuce's announcement and glanced over near the wreckage. Sticking out of the ground was the missing Fernovian Green Ranger's blaster rifle. The robot pulled the blaster from the ground, unearthing a small device planted there. The removal of the blaster activated it.

"Fernovian Rangers...and newly-arrived friends," the male voice spoke, slyly. "I'm so glad you could make it. If you've gotten this far, then that means you managed to make it past the wave of detonators. Congratulations."

Quinn shook his head, as he could hear the swagger in the man's tone.

"Your Rangers are just fine...for now. But, our financial situation has flared up again, much like your planet," the man continued. "So, if you want your Rangers back alive, we will be expecting your next payment to be doubled and delivered in two hours. We will inform you of the drop-off location at that time."

As the message came to an end, Bridge picked up the small recording device, knowing that his plan would have to be modified slightly given this new information. He glanced at Frane, almost wishing he could see his eyes behind his helmet. A few feet away Quinn could feel Erial's nervousness, as she seemed to shift in her place. He gently grabbed her wrist to calm her.

"We have to get them back," she whispered to him.

"I know," Quinn said, somberly.

* * *

Back on Earth, Commander Kat Manx was walking with a purpose towards the main shuttle landing bay inside the Delta Command Base. As she descended the escalators, she was met with a surprise. She saw the Supreme Commander's personal shuttle landing. As she stepped off the escalators, she saw the doors to the craft slide open. She smiled as she saw Doggie Cruger emerge. 

"This is a surprise," Kat said.

"Good morning. I thought you might like to hitch a ride to Andruss III in style," Cruger said, as he gestured towards his craft.

Kat glanced over at the small shuttle that she was supposed to be piloting. It was dwarfed in comparison to Cruger's vehicle.

"You came all the way back here to get me?" she smirked.

"Well, I know we hadn't talked in a while. I was also worried about the Rangers. Have you heard from them?" Cruger wondered.

"We got a preliminary report from Bridge two days ago," Kat said. "The time difference on Fernovia is a bit of a hindrance. A day to them is practically three for us."

"I still don't agree with you sending one of the Delta X robots with them," Cruger stressed.

"It was a _joint_ decision," Kat said coyly.

"You're the Commander. There are no joint decisions," Cruger said, sternly.

"I think everything will be fine. All of them have been trained on how to deal with any problems that arise," Kat said. "I ordered them to deactivate it if it acts strangely."

"I didn't come to argue about that. We've got too many other things to deal with," Cruger said. "That's another reason I came in person. I figured we could discuss some of our other...commitments on the shuttle. For security reasons."

The sounds of that information being passed between the two high-ranking S.P.D. officials didn't sit well with the figure watching them from afar, spying on their every word. The figure standing around a corner, in the shadows had heard about Cruger's departure from Andruss III and knew he was set to arrive on Earth. This figure had hoped to gather precious information.

"Of course," Kat said, a bit quieter, as they approached the shuttle. "I'm glad you brought that up actually. There's been some developments in the B.V.T. case."

"I'm anxious to hear all about it," Cruger said, as he shuffled Kat into the shuttle.

As the doors slid shut and the shuttle took off, the unseen figure that had been watching them was intrigued. The figured didn't know what the B.V.T. case was but felt that it might be worth mentioning to the one who had sent the spy to S.P.D. Headquarters in the first place.

* * *

On the other side of town, the subject of the B.V.T. case was waking to a sun-filled morning, although it could barely be seen, through the darkness of his master suite. With black curtains covering the windows, the entire room was dark, even after Barrett Van Tigue opened his eyes. 

"Light level 2," Barrett called out, just loud enough to activate the automated lighting system.

As he sat up on the bed, the black sheet covering his body fell a bit. He leaned over, seeing his girlfriend, Mia Storm beginning to stir. He gently leaned over, kissing her bare shoulder. Feeling his lips on her skin, Mia smiled, as her eyes remained shut.

"Mmm, morning," she grumbled.

"Don't move an inch. I've got some early meetings. You rest," Barrett said, as he slipped out from underneath the covers.

Mia turned over, wrapping herself further into the silk sheets. She looked a little troubled, as she watched Barrett walk over to his dresser wearing only his black boxer briefs. She watched him slide his gold Rolex watch onto his wrist.

"I'm supposed to have lunch with Syren," Mia said.

"Good," Barrett responded. "You could use a day out. I will try to fit in lunch between my meeting with the advertising managers and Stiles."

"Tom Stiles?" Mia asked, as she seemed to perk up a bit.

"Yeah. I've been having some trouble with our food guy. He wants more money. It's highway robbery. We'll see how he likes it when I sick my lawyer on him," Barrett said.

Mia frowned.

"Oh, I thought you might be discussing Anna with him," she said. "I called his office, but they said he didn't have time to meet with me in person."

Mia watched as Barrett sighed and turned back to her.

"Sweetheart, my plate is so full right now. But Stiles is working on it. I assure you," Barrett said, lightly, as he walked back to the bed and kissed her forehead. "I'm gonna grab a shower. Have a good day."

As Mia watched Barrett walk into his bathroom and close the door, she closed her eyes. As she heard the water start, she leaned back in the bed and looked around her. The dim room looked too dark. She reached up a hand to the large picture window behind the bed. She pulled at a piece of the curtain. Mia could only move it slightly before giving up. As she slumped deeper into the bed, a small ray of sunlight peeked through the curtains, illuminating her.

* * *

Inside the S.P.D. Headquarters Infirmary, Sam Hastings leaned on the examination bed, impatiently. With his arms folded and one foot tapping against the floor he looked around the empty room. He had grown to become uncomfortable in the Infirmary. Sam could even pinpoint exactly when it happened. 

Jack had died here. He and all of his friends witnessed it. Seeing the life expelled from his body had changed Sam and he knew that it had also changed the others. These days Sam almost resented that fact. Now faced with death a second time, they all seemed to move on much quicker. He couldn't and he had a feeling that it was true for someone else inside the Delta Command Base as well.

The doors to the Infirmary slid open and Dr. Shivan Sevarus walked in. He seemed a bit surprised to see Sam standing there.

"Hello there, young Sam," Sevarus said, cheerfully. "What brings you here? Are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sam said, nervously. "I'm actually worried about someone else."

"What's up?" Sevarus said, a bit more cautiously, as he noticed Sam's troubled demeanor.

"It's Piggy. He's been acting really strange lately, like he's scared of something. I think it has to do with Z's death," Sam explained.

"I can understand how Officer Delgado's death could affect a friend, and not just Piggy," Sevarus said, as he glanced down at the pre-teenaged boy, who was only a few inches shorter than him.

He placed a reassuring hand on Sam's shoulder.

"You're taking it hard. If you need someone to talk to, a professional, I can help," Sevarus said.

"No," Sam said, as he walked over towards the doorway. "That's not it. I really think Piggy's disturbed by what happened to Z."

"Maybe he is," Sevarus said. "The death of someone close to you can force a being to contemplate their own mortality. Perhaps Piggy is realizing that life indeed is short."

"What if he needs more serious help?" Sam asked.

"If Piggy needs help, he'll get it. I promise you. I'm monitoring his situation," Sevarus said. "But, honestly, I'm not worried."

"Thanks," Sam said somberly, as he exited the doors.

Once in the hallway, he shook his head.

"I'm worried," Sam grumbled sarcastically.

As he walked away, he came to a puzzling conclusion. In the two years since he had come to Space Patrol Delta things had certainly changed. It was no longer the caring refuge that took him in. No one seemed to worry anymore. Perhaps it was because there was no impending danger for them, he thought. Even scarier for Sam was the thought that perhaps those feelings of affection and brotherhood had died with the one who brought him there.

* * *

Inside the S.P.D. Academy on Fernovia, Sophie held tight to the large explosive she had confiscated earlier. She had spent the last two hours studying it thoroughly. Part of her wanted to make sure she didn't miss a thing. She took immense pride in her work, but she also had the watchful eyes of an X-Squad robot behind her. Deuce hadn't left her side since the team had returned from the field. If she didn't know better, she would have guessed that he was being protective. 

The doors to the science laboratory slid open and Bridge entered, followed closely by Frane, Quinn, Erial and Melyk. They gathered around the desk where Sophie and Deuce stood.

"So, can you deactivate it by remote?" Bridge said, cutting to the chase.

"No," Sophie sighed. "I've studied every square inch and the only way these things can be deactivated is manually and Deuce is really the only one who can do that without getting blown to bits first."

"I don't see how your plan is going to work," Melyk said to Bridge. "We don't even know how many of them there are!"

Bridge turned to his Fernovian counterpart. "We just have to keep calm. I sent a call to Earth for backup as soon as we returned. As long as Deuce can deactivate those detonators, the plan will work. Besides, I have a feeling we're not dealing with an army."

"How does he know that?" Erial whispered to Quinn.

"After a while with Bridge, you learn not to ask that question," Quinn whispered back.

As he noticed her hands begin to shake he, grabbed them.

"It's going to be okay," Quinn said. "You did great out there."

"Bretti was my friend. We share the same quarters. I can't imagine what she must be going through. Clestro's tough, but Bretti..." Erial's voice trailed off, sadly.

"She seemed pretty tough to me," Quinn said.

"She likes others to think she is, but inside, she's all heart," Erial said, as Quinn could sense a tear coming from her.

"So you two have a lot in common," he said quietly, as he smiled at her.

"I'm worse. Believe me," Erial said, as she wiped her face. "We have to get them back."

"Now, that's what I like to hear," Quinn said. "No giving up."

"...No giving up," Erial repeated.

At that moment, the entire room went quiet as Frane's morpher sounded. He opened the device. Tensions rose, as he responded to the signal.

"This is Frane."

"We're receiving a new communications signal. We believe it's from the intruders," the communications technician explained.

"Route it to the main science lab," Frane said, as he walked over and activated the screen on the wall.

The group watched as the screen lit up, showing them a human male, dressed from neck to toe in black. They all recognized him from the security tapes that showed him and a female comrade in battle with Melyk and Bretti weeks ago.

"Your time is up," the man spoke.

His Asian features were striking and he did appear to be completely human. His dark hair spiked above his head. His dark goatee matched his attire.

"You will bring the ransom to Ivy Square and drop it there. Once we have secured it, your fellow Rangers will be released," the man said.

"How do we know they're still alive?" Frane wondered.

The man stepped aside, allowing them to see the two shackled Rangers bound and gagged several feet behind the man.

"They're alive," he told Frane. "You will meet us at the rendezvous point in thirty minutes."

Just as quickly as it had begun, the communication ended.

"Thirty minutes," Melyk said, grumpily. "I have a feeling your reinforcements won't be here by then."

Bridge took a deep breath after glancing at Melyk. He had hoped that his plan would be fool proof, but he also hoped that he would have a full team of Fernovians backing him up. The capture of two of them had thrown a kink into his plans. He hoped that despite the time difference, S.P.D. had received his message and was sending what he needed most.

* * *

Back on Earth, B-Squad cadets Meg Thurman, Casey Parker and Boom were strolling casually through the corridors of the Delta Command Base. 

"I still don't understand the whole quantum mechanics thing," Meg said, annoyed at her previous class.

"I thought the example we were given was pretty easy to get," Casey said.

"Yeah," Boom chimed. "Think of it like this. We are always trying to protect Sam because of his future as Omega Ranger. If Sam dies now, then he never becomes Omega and never comes back in time to help S.P.D. defeat Devastation and Morgana. S.P.D. would fall to Gruumm and Earth would have no chance of survival."

"But that threat ended over a year ago," Meg said, curiously. "If Sam died today, Omega would still have already helped defeat Gruumm's forces."

"Not really, because the timeline would have changed," Casey said, as they turned a corner in the corridor. "Not that I think we should be talking about Sam dying, given everything that's happened."

"Fine with me. My head's already swimming enough," Meg said, as she smirked at her roommate.

"Hey guys, I just realized my old quarters were right around here," Boom said, with a nostalgic smile.

"From your days as a gadget-tester?" Casey inquired.

"Yep," Boom said. "Brings back memories."

"I'm sure it does," Meg said sarcastically. "I remember when this team had _four_ members! Anyone seen Duc?"

"I can't believe he missed a class," Casey said.

"He said he wasn't feeling well," Boom revealed. "But, I'm sure he's fine now. He won't miss a training session."

As they turned another corner, they practically bumped right into B-Squad Cadet Duc Sato.

"Hey," Casey said, looking confused. "What are you doing down here?"

"I...uh, was looking for you guys," Duc said, forcing a smile.

"We were just talking about you," Meg said. "You don't look sick."

"I'm feeling fine now," Duc said. "I guess it was just a morning bug or something."

"Good," Casey said, as she grabbed him by the arm. "Because we have training to get too."

At that moment, their morphers beeped. Casey pulled hers from its holster at her waist and flipped it open.

"This is B-Squad," she called out.

"It's Dr. Jensen. Report to the Command Center. We've got an emergency."

Hearing the seriousness in his voice, Casey, Meg and Duc went sprinting down the hallway back the way they came. As they got to the end of the hallway, they noticed one of them was missing. They looked back, seeing Boom glancing around.

"Boom!" Meg yelled. "Let's go."

"I really wanted to show you guys my old room," Boom said somberly, as he trotted off after them.

"Later," Duc said quickly.

The four B-Squad Cadets rushed off to answer their call of duty.

* * *

There weren't many caves on the planet Fernovia. But thanks to explosives, the terrorists currently inhabiting the dark tunnel had created a base of operations. The figure who had just spoken to the S.P.D. Rangers stared at the two shackled Fernovians. He looked troubled, as he paced the area. The only sound that Clestro and Bretti could hear were his shoes grinding against the dirt and rocks. But then, another set of footsteps was heard approaching. The man turned to glance at his female comrade. Her long black hair and Asian features matched his own. They almost looked like twins, as their attire also matched. 

"Blaze," she called out, as she walked over to the man. "How did it go?"

"We have a half-hour," Blaze responded.

"That's not a lot of time," she said.

"It'll be enough, Xenta," he said, giving her an annoyed glance. "Huragi's already at Ivy Square setting up the explosives."

"But, the ones we set up near the shuttle never went off. They must have found a way around them!" Xenta said, anxiously.

"Calm down," Blaze said. "We still have the upper hand. Huragi can detonate the explosives manually if he has to."

"I'd prefer not having to fight my way through them again," Xenta said, as she sneered at Bretti, who cut her eyes back at the human female.

Blaze and Xenta ignored the murmurs and groans of objection from their prisoners.

"We'll do what's necessary to accomplish our mission and collect our true payment," Blaze said with a smile. "We just have to continue to do what we've been doing and make sure that this planet sees a lot more fires and a lot less saving!"

"Sounds good to me. Although it seems like we've been stuck out here forever. I want to go home," she said, as she leaned against a cave wall nearby.

"Being short on cash makes it kinda hard to hire backup, Xenta," Blaze explained. "Once we get the final payoff, we'll be golden and we can take on more crew."

"If we even get the payoff. They still outnumber us, even with Green & Yellow trapped here," Xenta said, frustrated.

"I have it under control," Blaze said. "I doubt we'll even have to raise one fist. Taking hostages was the best idea I've had in a while."

"I just hope it doesn't backfire, brother," Xenta said, as she headed towards the cave tunnel. "I'm going to check on Huragi."

Blaze simply nodded as he watched his sister leave. The trio had come this far and Blaze had no intention of being contained on this planet. He also had no intention of losing out on the major financial payoff waiting for him after his success on Fernovia.

* * *

As Mia Storm descended the staircase of the Van Tigue home, she practiced her smile. It was an act she had perfected for months, except in the case of Syren Dean. She had shown the newcomer her true face when she first arrived. Her claws were out then. Mia smirked a bit as she got to the front door of the house, in response to the doorbell. When she first met Syren Dean she had no idea she would become her closest friend in a long time. Mia opened the door and smiled seeing that the subject of her thoughts had indeed arrived. 

"Syren, hey," Mia said, as she opened the door, gesturing for her friend to enter.

Syd walked in, looking a bit confused. She noticed Mia wearing a white sweatsuit with her hair tied in a ponytail. The sight of the pink slippers Mia wore had Syd completely thrown.

"You're not ready yet?" Syd said, as she dropped her black purse on the leather sofa near the piano, as she glanced down at her own attire. "Or am I overdressed for Luciano's?"

Mia looked a bit disappointed, as she noticed how great Syren was dressed. She wore a long-sleeved white blouse, untucked in her black slacks. The ensemble was perfect, especially with the black vest she wore.

"Syren, I'm sorry. I kinda changed my mind. Do you mind if we just stay in?" Mia said, apologetically.

"Sure," Syd said, as she knew something was bothering Mia. "Are you okay?"

"Not really. It's just one of those days. If we didn't have lunch plans I would probably still be in bed."

"Well I'm glad you didn't cancel," Syd said, as she saw Mia slump onto the twin sofa on the other side of the room. "I don't mind keeping you company."

Syd walked over and took a seat next to her.

"Barrett's so busy. It's like he barely notices. I tried to talk to him about Anna this morning, but all he wanted to discuss was his business schedule," Mia revealed.

Syd's curiosity was aroused. She certainly needed as much help getting information on Barrett as she could get.

"What kind of business?" Syd said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. "Purgatory's closed today."

"Oh, some meeting with his lawyer to talk about food contracts. This is supposed to be the same lawyer handling my case with Anna," Mia said, unbelieving. "His office acted like they didn't even know me."

"I'm sorry, Mia," Syd said, sincerely, as she stood up. "I've got an idea. Why don't we just have lunch here?"

"Consuela's out running errands," Mia said.

"That's okay. We're resourceful girls. I'm sure we can find something in there edible," Syd said, with a smile. "And we'll keep it our little secret."

"Secrets!"

The voice came from the rear of the house near Barrett's adjacent recreational room. Syd and Mia turned to see Lady Vishus standing in the archway which separated the two rooms. Mia rolled her eyes, as she saw the tall woman coming closer. She was surprised she never heard her, since she could now plainly hear her heeled boots and trusty cane hitting the marble flooring. As always, Vishus was wearing all black. Her suit was also missing a blouse underneath the blazer. It was neatly contrasted by the white streak, falling from her dark hair.

"What's going on, ladies?" Vishus asked, in her sly tone.

"A private conversation, V! Will you leave us alone, please?" Mia said, sternly.

Her response seemed to surprise Vishus and Syd.

"Very well," Vishus said, as she headed for the front door. "I was on my way to pick up Barrett from his meeting anyway."

As she opened the door with one hand, she used her other hand to slide on her chauffeur's cap. As she passed over the threshold, she looked back at the women.

"You girls be good...at least until I get back," Vishus said, with a cheap smile.

After the door had closed securely, Syd looked back at Mia and began to slowly applaud.

"What?" Mia asked, giving her a confused look.

"You just told Lady Vishus to get lost. Bravo!"

The two girls shared a laugh, as Syd reached out a hand.

"Now, let's go find some lunch," she said.

After a sigh, Mia grabbed her hand. Syd gently pulled her off the sofa and towards the kitchen.

* * *

The Galactic Council Chamber was once again at full capacity. Sky Tate's hearing was now in full swing. S.P.D. Earth's Red Ranger had kept his eyes on Galactic Council President Otto Cali the entire time he spoke, mainly to reiterate the rules of the proceedings. As Cali finished his statements and invited Obla Grutton to come forward and prepare for his first witness, Sky took a brief second to glance at each of the Galactic Council members. They all looked deadly serious, as if every syllable being spoken in that room was important. Sky realized in that moment, that he felt the exact same way. As he caught sight of the white fur of Obla Grutton in the corner of his eye, he turned a bit to gaze at him, as he began speaking. 

"Thank you, Mr. President," Grutton said. "It is a pleasure to once again be addressing the Council and the public on this matter."

Grutton casually turned away from the Council altar and faced the gallery, where a few flashes could be seen coming from the press cameras.

"January 18, 2027...it seems almost as if it were an eternity ago. On that day, Schuyler Tate made an egregious error in judgment. Judgment, that's an interesting word isn't it?" Grutton said, as he glanced at Sky. "You see Officer Tate never judged Omallix. Not in the way he was trained. Officer Tate didn't do many things that day that would be acceptable to this Council. After all, that's why we're here."

Grutton turned again to face the Council altar.

"At this time I call my first witness. Someone who bore witness to the insubordination of Officer Tate," Grutton said, as he grandly raised his left hand and swung around slowly towards the gallery, pointing at the rear entrance to the room. "I call Kat Manx."

As the doors to the chamber opened, every eye was stuck on that doorway, where S.P.D. Earth's current Commander stood. Kat took a deep breath and headed towards the Council altar. As she got to the advocates' tables, she headed off to her right, where a raised chair was located. Nearby, she noticed some technical equipment, including a projector and computer monitor. She sat down on the witness stand, as President Cali spoke up.

"Do you admit that all your testimony given here before the Council will be honest and factual?" Cali asked.

"Yes, Mr. President," Kat said, nervously.

"Proceed Advocate Grutton," Cali stated, as he nodded to his assistant, Tawke, seated behind him.

She made a note of Kat's agreement in the Council records.

"For the record, can you state for everyone here exactly what your job was on the date of January 18, 2027?" Grutton asked.

"At that time I was the Chief of Technology for Space Patrol Delta Headquarters on Earth," Kat said quickly.

"I see," Grutton said, as he grabbed a control device near the projector to Kat's left and began to pace around the area in front of the Council altar. "And as the Chief of Technology, it was your job to create and study equipment used by the Rangers on a daily basis, correct?"

"Yes, of course. That's exactly what my job was," Kat agreed.

"Your job also included training active Rangers in the use of this technology?"

"Yes."

After hearing her quick response, Grutton pressed a button on his remote, causing the projector to light up, showing a blue print graphic of the robotic patrol hound, Murphy, in his battlized state.

"You created the battlizer used by Officer Tate to commit murder?"

Sky shifted nervously in his seat. Isinia noticed and looked to the Council altar.

"I object to his use of the term 'murder'," Isinia said, as she tried to stand.

"I will rephrase my question," Grutton said, before allowing the Council to respond. "You created the battlizer seen here on the projector?"

"Yes, I did," Kat said.

"You trained Officer Tate in the use of this battlizer?" Grutton asked.

"Yes," Kat said, a bit annoyed at the direction of the questions.

"If I understand correctly, the battlizer requires a containment card to be loaded in order for it to capture a criminal, correct?"

Silence blanketed the Council chamber, as Kat glanced at Sky for a moment, then past him at Doggie Cruger, who was seated in the first row of the gallery behind Sky's table.

"That's true," Kat said.

"You were present for the incident in question. Officer Tate didn't load a containment card when he fired on Omallix, did he?"

Kat paused again, as she locked eyes with Sky. Grutton grunted under his breath.

"Answer the question," President Cali said, urging her to speed up her response.

"It's complicated," Kat said. "There was so much going on at the time. People were hurt. There had been a major zord battle. The other Rangers had been demorphed by Omallix—"

"It's a simple question," Grutton said, cutting her off quickly. "I'm not asking about the situation. I'm asking about Officer Tate. Did he load the containment card, as he was trained by you to do?"

"No," Kat said, as a few gasps were heard from the press.

"You claimed the situation was complicated. Why do you think Officer Tate didn't load the card?"

"I believe Sky's focus at the time was on the threat at hand. His fellow Rangers had lost the use of their powers. He was the only thing standing between Omallix and the rest of the civilians, including myself," Kat said. "The weight of that burden could cause anyone to forget some details."

"That's probable. However, speaking of civilians, witnesses stated that moments before he fired the battlizer cannon, a voice yelled out to him from the crowd, telling him to load that card," Grutton said.

He clenched his fist, as if he was telling a great story of victory.

"Whose voice was that?" Grutton said, as he walked closer to Kat's position.

Kat glanced at Sky again in that moment. She saw him lower his head a bit.

"It was mine," Kat said, as a few more gasps were heard from the gallery.

Isinia looked up at the Council altar, noticing a few of the representatives taking notes and shifting a bit in their seats. She let out a long silent breath.

* * *

Deep inside the Delta Command Base, one floor was completely quiet. In fact it was a little too quiet for one alien being. The doors to Piggy's quarters slid open and he quietly peeked around the corner, looking to the left and then to the right down the long corridor. He saw no signs of movement. Piggy turned his back on the doorway and let out a relaxing sigh. He never noticed the figure arriving behind him. 

"Piggy," Sam called out.

Piggy stumbled forward, scared out of his skin by the boy's sudden appearance. As he saw Piggy fall face-first onto the floor of his quarters, Sam grabbed Piggy's cane and rushed to his side. The doors to Piggy's quarters slid closed, since neither were close enough to trigger the motion sensors that kept them open.

"Piggy, you okay?" Sam asked, as he helped Piggy get to his feet.

Piggy grabbed a hold of his cane and stared at Sam.

"What's the matter with you?" Piggy yelled. "You can't be sneaking up on me like that!"

"I'm sorry. When no one's around I find it hard not to use my powers. It's a lot quicker than walking," Sam said.

"Bending the rules, huh?" Piggy said, as he gingerly walked over to a mirror on the wall, checking to make sure his nose was still intact. "Normally, I'd admire that...but not today!"

"I said I'm sorry," Sam said.

"What are you doing in this neck of the woods anyway, kid?" Piggy asked.

"I was thinking about going to Z's room and taking a few things to remember her by. I heard no one's touched the place since her accident," Sam said. "You want to come?"

"Accident," Piggy repeatedly quietly.

As memories of Z's ghost filled his head, Piggy knew there was no way he could go to Z's quarters, without scaring himself to death. He turned to Sam.

"I don't think so, kid."

"Why not?" Sam said. "You're the only one that even seems to care about Z. Look, I know that's why you were on the roof the other day. You were thinking about her, remembering her. I do the same thing. It's just no one else around here seems to want to mention her name."

"I can understand why," Piggy said under his breath.

"What?"

"Uh, nothing. Look, Sam, I just can't do what you want me to do. This whole friendship thing that you're trying to create here...it's just not gonna work out. I can't pull off 'friends' anymore," Piggy leveled with the boy.

"Is it because of what happened to Z?" Sam asked sadly.

"Honestly, yeah it is. Sorry."

"It's okay," Sam said, angrily. "I'm sure it's sad enough for you to be staying in Jack's room."

"_Jack's_ room?" Piggy gave Sam a curious look. "This was Jack's room?"

"Yeah, when he came back after becoming Omega Ranger," Sam said, somberly. "He stayed in here."

Piggy was shocked to hear that revelation, as he thought back to the first time Z brought him here to stay.

_Z said. "And don't worry. These codes are changed every time someone different stays in the room. So, I'm the only one who knows your access code."_

It made so much more sense to him now. Z had put him here because this was the last place she had Jack. What was left of Piggy's heart hit the floor. He leaned against the wall a bit, drawing Sam's attention.

"I'll go by myself. I'm the only one who wants to remember her anyway!"

With the wave of a hand, Piggy saw Sam teleport away. He sighed, as he turned back to the mirror.

"That's my problem kid. I remember too much," Piggy said aloud.

* * *

On Fernovia, the team of mixed Rangers once again found themselves wading through the forested areas of the planet, heading to the ransom drop-off point. From underneath his S.W.A.T.-outfitted helmet, Bridge glanced at Frane who was marching a few steps ahead of him, carrying a blaster rifle in one hand and a briefcase in the other. Bridge took a deep breath, wondering what might happen if the criminals learned there was no ransom inside that case. They were soon going to find out. A few feet to his left, Bridge heard Fernovia's Blue Ranger, Melyk coming closer. 

"Ivy Square is sacred territory," Melyk whispered to him. "Having any kind of battle waged there is unacceptable."

"You wanted to be rid of the terrorists," Bridge said. "We had to let them pick the spot."

The two continued onward, as Murphy trotted beside them. A few feet behind them, Earth's Pink Ranger trudged forward. A few steps behind Sophie, Quinn stuck close to Fernovia's Pink Ranger, Erial.

"Another part of our treasured lives is going to be desecrated isn't it?" Erial asked Quinn, in regards to Ivy Square.

"It can be rebuilt. The whole planet can go back to normal, but only if we contain these criminals for good," Quinn said. "Sacrifices may have to be made."

"What about Bretti and Clestro? Will they be sacrifices as well?" she asked, sadly.

"Listen," Quinn said, in a reassuring tone. "I promise you that I'll do everything in my power to help free them. But you have to promise you'll do what you need to do. You'll fight the best you can."

The Fernovian Pink Ranger nodded her head. Beneath his helmet, Quinn smiled.

"Besides, we got this guy backing us up," Quinn said, as he looked back at Deuce, whose arm blaster was fully visible now, as he scanned the area for any signs of life. "Keep your eyes open, Deuce."

"I can not stop my vision from continuing," Deuce responded in his monotone voice.

Quinn sighed, as the group continued on their way, until they reached a clearing in the forest. Ivy Square was beautiful. It resembled a massive gazebo. Four white concrete columns were erected in a circle, as several green vines flowed around them all the way to the top of the four columns, where the vines came together, forming a lush green canopy. Quinn stopped in his tracks as he took it all in. A statue stood in the center. It was a stone monument to the first tree ever planted on Fernovia. Their planet's history was captured in this spot. It was at that moment that one of his comrades noticed something else about the columns.

"Clestro! Bretti!" Erial yelled.

The Fernovian cadets were tied to two of the columns furthest from the team. As Frane made a move towards his friends, Bridge stuck out an arm, preventing his movement, as he heard the alerts coming from Murphy.

"Nobody move," Bridge called out.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Blaze said, as he appeared from behind the column where Bretti was tied.

Xenta emerged from behind the nearby column, where Clestro was still being held. The Rangers all shot glances at the criminals, without moving an inch.

"You have our payment?" Blaze inquired.

"Yes," the Fernovian Red Ranger said, as he raised his arm, showing the briefcase.

The Rangers watched closely as Blaze and Xenta maneuvered their way away from the monument. Bridge noticed they seemed to be moving strangely, almost as if they were dodging invisible explosives. He didn't need Murphy or Deuce to tell him that the explosives were planted around the monument. He had a feeling that if they tried to save the two captives, they would be met with detonators. Blaze moved closer to Bridge and Frane.

"Here's how it's going to go," Blaze explained. "You'll hand over the ransom. At that point, my associate Xenta will hand over your comrades' morphers."

Xenta pulled the two devices from her back pockets and waved them a bit, as she smirked.

"Once I've gotten far enough away and counted the ransom, we will deactivate the detonators and you can release your friends," Blaze finished.

"Or, you can just deactivate them yourselves!" Xenta yelled. "We know what happened before."

"Quiet, Xenta!" Blaze shot back.

Quinn's S.W.A.T. scanners worked overtime. He wasn't scanning the area where the explosives were hidden. He was scanning their enemies. He didn't find any traces of a remote device on either of them. They weren't in control of the detonators. He was sure of it.

"The case please," Blaze spoke to Frane.

Frane reached out his arm. As Blaze took a hold of the case, Frane didn't release it from his grasp. Blaze tugged on the case for a second, before sighing.

"Let it go!"

"Sorry," Bridge said nearby. "We can't do that."

At that moment, the blaster of every morphed Ranger in the area targeted Blaze and Xenta.

"Foolish Rangers!" Xenta exclaimed.

"You don't really think we came alone do you?" Blaze grunted, angrily. "Huragi!"

At that moment, Melyk heard a familiar rustling. It brought back the memory of the day he fought the two black-clad warriors in the forest and heard a rustling nearby. Bridge was right after all. There was no army of invaders. There were only three.

It seemed all eyes were on the area of forest, where the hulking alien being appeared. Huragi was a mass of silver and gold. His metallic outer armor was impressive, as it seemed to split the colors evenly down the middle. On the right, was Huragi's silver side, accented with a giant green dragon symbol. Huragi's left was gold, accented with a shoulder-mounted cannon of some sort.

The pieces were falling into place, Bridge thought to himself. Huragi must have been their detonator expert. Even Huragi's head looked like a smaller version of the spiked bombs, colored gold and silver with large red eyes. Bridge noticed the alien's cannon, however, wasn't large enough to spit out the explosives they had seen before.

"It's time!" Bridge yelled, as he sprung into action, lunging towards Blaze.

The leader of the trio, however, showed amazing skills in hand-to-hand combat, which Bridge was well aware of from the video footage of the fight with Melyk & Bretti. Blaze blocked every attempt of Bridge's to lower his weapon to fire. Frane even jumped into the fray against Blaze, who stood his ground.

As Erial saw Quinn and Melyk fighting with Huragi in the distance, she turned her attentions to Xenta, who seemed to be looking for her moment to help Blaze fight off Bridge & Frane. She blocked her path towards them and started a fight of her own. Xenta swiftly kicked Erial's blaster rifle away, forcing her to fight without it. But, she wasn't alone. Sophie had her sights on the ladies. As she ran towards them, she couldn't get a clear shot, given their swift movements and she couldn't risk hitting Erial with her Delta Enforcer. As she passed the monument and saw Clestro & Bretti struggling to break free, she looked back at the other robotic members of their team.

"Murphy! Deuce! Deactivate those detonators!" she ordered.

With a quick robotic bark, Murphy sprinted towards the monument, followed closely by Deuce. Within moments, they had located the main detonator and caused all of the explosives to become visible to everyone. There were ten of them set up in and around the monument, including two dangerously close to the trapped Fernovians. Deuce tried to trigger the mass deactivation when he noticed something.

"These are different. The central explosive does not control the rest," Deuce revealed to the group of fighting Rangers. "They must be deactivated one at a time."

"Then, get to work," Bridge grunted, just before a kick from Blaze knocked the Blue Ranger to the ground.

A few meters away, Quinn fired his Delta Enforcer at Huragi, but the monster dived out of the way. Quinn took a few seconds to readjust himself. That was all Huragi needed. He aimed his cannon and fired. Before Quinn could jump out of the way, he saw the mini-explosive coming at him. At the last second, he felt two hands pushing him away. As he hit the ground he turned to see the Fernovian Blue Ranger, Melyk, taking the brunt of the explosion, which sent him flying backwards into the trees.

"No!" Erial shouted, as she ran to her fallen comrade's side, where Quinn joined her.

In the distance, Huragi chuckled. He turned his red gaze towards the monument, where he saw that Deuce and Murphy had already deactivated three of the detonators. He headed in that direction, with his cannon drawn.

* * *

Back on Earth, Pryce Jensen stared at the other three Delta X Series robots in his possession. As he thought back to the distress call he received from Bridge's team, he couldn't help but think about the robots. Would S.P.D. be so quick to respond if robots were the only ones in danger? It was a question he wasn't given much time to ponder, as he heard a communications alert. 

"Yes, Niyako?"

"There is an incoming transmission addressed to you, Doctor," Niyako's pixie-like voice announced.

"I'll take it in here," Pryce responded, as he walked to the rear of the lab and sat at his desk.

His monitor lit up, revealing the face of an aging Japanese man. He wore a white lab coat, with the familiar Vanguard X emblem on it.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Jiang," the man spoke, as he looked a bit confused. "I was expecting Dr. Kat Manx."

"I was told your message was addressed to me. I'm Dr. Pryce Jensen, S.P.D.'s Chief of Technology. I'm familiar with your work. It's a pleasure to meet you Doctor," Pryce said, with a cordial nod.

"Ah, I see my error. I was attempting to contact the Chief of Technology, but I was under the impression that it was still Dr. Manx."

"Dr. Manx was promoted to Commander almost a month ago," Pryce revealed.

"Chairman Grace led me to believe she was in charge of the Delta X project," Jiang said.

"Is that why you were looking for her?"

"Chairman Grace informed me of her questions about the Delta X Series. I was contacting her because I felt I could be of service," Jiang said.

"I hate to tell you this, but she's actually on Andruss III at the moment, dealing with some other business," Pryce said. "It doesn't really matter anyway. As the new Chief of Technology, I'm in charge of the field-testing. Any further issues with it can go straight through me. I'm your man."

"Thank you, Dr. Jensen. I'm glad we've finally met, then. Please relay my congratulations to Commander Manx on her promotion. Know that I'm available if ever you need consultation or run into any problems," Jiang said.

"Of course," Pryce said, with a smile.

As Jiang signed off, Pryce let out a deep breath. He stood up from his desk and caught sight of the large Delta X robots once again. He smiled a bit more.

* * *

Back inside the Galactic Council Chamber, Kat sat quietly, as murmurs and whispers were heard spreading throughout the chamber. It was clear that many of the bystanders didn't know that Kat had screamed for Sky to use the card before he fired. 

"Order!" President Cali called out, sternly from the altar.

"Hmm, that's interesting, Ms. Manx," Grutton continued. "Or, should I call you _Commander_!"

Isinia stood from her seat, ignoring the double pregnancy that was weighing her down.

"Mr. President, I don't even know what that means! Is he going to ask any more questions?" Isinia said, angrily.

"Advocate Grutton, is there a question in there?" Cali asked.

"Yes. There is," Grutton said, as he waltzed over towards the altar and faced each of the Council representatives as he passed them. "As I said in my opening statements, the actions of Officer Tate not only reflect his personal biases in this case, but also the biases of his superiors at the time of the incident."

"As you've made perfectly clear already, Kat Manx was not a direct superior to Sky Tate at the time of Omallix's death," Isinia called out.

"But he still didn't follow her orders!" Grutton said, more forcefully. "Tate felt he was above the law. They all do! Kat Manx now finds herself as Commander of S.P.D. Earth, despite having no experience as an officer. Why would the Supreme Commander promote you to that position, Commander Manx, when he knew for a fact that not even the Red Ranger would obey your orders?"

As silence crept into the room once again, Grutton's finger was pointed directly at Kat.

"That's a question you'd have to ask the Supreme Commander," Kat said sarcastically.

From his seat, Cruger stared a hole through the furry rabbit-like alien who he saw turn towards him.

"I think I already have the answer," Grutton preached on, as he stared back at Cruger. "Because it further gives this Red Ranger a free pass to do whatever he wants, including the taking of more lives, when he conveniently forgets his containment card. I have no further questions for the Commander."

Without even looking back at Kat, Grutton took his seat. Still standing, Isinia made her way to the witness stand.

"I had planned to come up here and defend your credentials as Commander, Ms. Manx," Isinia said. "But then I realized that this case isn't about your credentials. It's about what happened on January 18, 2027 when you were Chief of Technology, not Commander. But, since my fellow advocate opened the door, can you tell us what happened to S.P.D. Earth's Commander at that time?"

"Commander Silverback was killed in the battle," Kat said.

"Killed by the forces sent to invade the Delta Command Base?"

"That's correct," Kat said.

"Who sent those forces, Commander?"

"Omallix did," Kat said, angrily.

"It was a desperate situation, wouldn't you say?"

"Definitely. We were literally outnumbered by the Fericks. They were everywhere. If we hadn't activated the Delta Command Megazord, I'm certain they would have gained control of it," Kat explained.

"You took command in the melee, despite not having any formal officer's training, isn't that right?"

"Yes. We thought Supreme Commander Cruger had perished at the hands of Omallix," Kat revealed.

"You even morphed into a Ranger yourself. Where did you get that morpher?"

"It was given to me by Supreme Commander Birdy the year before his death," Kat said.

This information caused several more murmurs to be heard throughout the chamber.

"So it wasn't Doggie Cruger who felt you were worthy to hold the power usually reserved for those with field training. It was the previous Supreme Commander?"

"That's right," Kat said.

"Sounds like your record speaks for itself then," Isinia said, as she glanced at Grutton. "You stepped up to lead in a time of need. That doesn't sound like a conspiracy to me."

"If anything, this entire situation is my fault," Kat offered.

More hushed voices were heard whispering, along with a few gasps. President Cali called for order once again.

"Can you explain what you mean?" Isinia asked.

"I designed the Battlizer Mark 2. Given the emergency situation, I didn't have time to set the battlizer to load automatically, as the original did. If I had taken the time to do that, Sky wouldn't be here," Kat explained.

"Thank you, Commander Manx. I have nothing further," Isinia said, as she took a seat.

Advocate Grutton stood again.

"Excuse me, Mr. President. I'd like to ask one final question," Grutton called out.

"Go ahead," Cali spoke.

"Commander Manx, the containment card was never an issue with the previous robotic canine was it?" he asked.

"I didn't augment R.I.C. to make him containment card compatible," Kat said.

"Who did?"

"My gadget-tester at the time, Boom and Cadet Bridge Carson," Kat revealed.

"So, you're saying that your assistant and a lowly cadet were more talented than you, S.P.D.'s Chief of Technology, at updating that technology?" Grutton said, sarcastically. "Well, I can certainly see why _you_ were promoted."

He sat down, before even letting Kat answer. Everyone in the room knew it was a rhetorical question that Kat wouldn't stoop low enough to answer. She merely stared at the floor. On the altar, Sky noticed the troubling looks on the faces of the Council Representatives. All except one. He glanced at Pheon and noticed he didn't seem troubled. He looked worried, as he looked to Kat on the witness stand.

* * *

Inside the Delta Command Base, Sam stood in the empty corridor outside of Z Delgado's former quarters. He had been standing in the same position for almost five minutes. Part of him was surprised not one person had walked by him in all that time. Of course, it played into his theory that no one wanted to remember Z. Why would anyone want to go anywhere near her quarters if it were true? 

He closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath, before stepping forward. He stopped himself before he bumped into the doors. They were locked, of course. But, with a wave of his hand, Sam found himself on the inside, glancing around at a room he had only been in a few times. But, Z herself had only been there a short time before her death.

Judging from her clothes and boots tossed around the room and her CD player lying on her bed, it became apparent to Sam that Z had made the place her own, if only for a few weeks. He leaned against the yellow comforter on her bed and stared around the room, with a sigh. It was all Z. Her favorite yellow jacket, with its collar trimmed in black, hung in the corner, with her baseball cap of the same color. He glanced at her dresser and something there caught his interest. He picked up the pair of golden hoop earrings he had seen her wear often when she wasn't on duty. He smiled. It was then that he caught sight of the framed photograph nearby. He picked it up and couldn't help but stare at their faces. So much had changed in a year.

The photograph had clearly been taken during happier times. Sam glanced at each of them. Bridge, Sky, Syd, Jack and Z. It was a group that would never be together again, he thought. He pocketed the earrings and carried the photograph back over to Z's bed. He sat on the edge and stared into that photo, as if it were a doorway into the recent past. They were together again, willing to let anyone into their circle, even a whiny kid like him. As a tear hit the glass, he tried to control his sniffle. Several feet away, inside the adjacent personal lavatory, Z Delgado stood, wiping a tear from her own eye. Every fiber of her being wanted to go into that room and comfort her young friend, to tell him that she was alive.

But she stopped herself.

Her thoughts veered to the reason she was in hiding in the first place. Thinking of Piggy made her angry. It was not a good sign for her former friend. Because anger was one emotion that she had no trouble embracing...or unleashing.

* * *

Huragi moved slowly, chuckling with every footstep planted forcefully into the Fernovian soil. He aimed his explosive cannon at the large hulking Delta X Series robot. 

A few yards away, Erial and Quinn were still at Melyk's side. Erial frantically reached for Melyk's arm, checking for a pulse, as Quinn stared at the smoking wound to his chest. The explosive had practically burned right through his power suit.

"He's still breathing...I think," Erial said, in a panic. "Hold on, Melyk! We have to get him some help!"

"We have to help the others!" Quinn shouted, as he got to his feet, seeing Huragi aiming his cannon in the distance. He looked back down at Erial on the ground. "You have a choice to make. I've already made mine!"

Earth's Green Ranger ran back into the fray, with his Delta Enforcer in prime position. He fired on Huragi from behind. The alien creature never saw the shot coming. He stumbled forward to a knee, but didn't fall. He quickly regained his footing, turning to Quinn.

"Not you again!" Huragi yelled, with his grizzly tone.

Quinn fired his Delta Enforcer, but this time the monster was ready. Huragi leapt into the air above him. As Quinn looked up, he saw Huragi still had his weapon trained on him. As the cannon fired, Quinn felt himself grabbed once again. As he went rolling to the ground, the mini-explosive impacted the ground, sending soil and formerly green grass shooting into the air. As the debris rained down on him, Quinn saw the face of the being who had pulled him to safety. He couldn't see her eyes beneath his helmet, but he hoped he was looking into them.

"You saved me," he said to Erial, who was now beneath him.

"Yeah, but not for long!" she yelled, as they both got to their feet, allowing Quinn to see Huragi aiming at them once again. He fired, sending both Rangers flying, as the explosive collided with the ground beneath them.

Back behind Huragi, Deuce and Murphy had moved onto the sixth detonator. There were only four more active ones left.

"Hurry!" Clestro yelled to Deuce, as his tried to break free of the vines the villains had tied him up with. "They need more help!"

Deuce stared at him for only a moment, before going back to work on the detonators. Several feet away, Bridge was still puzzled at how Blaze was managing to keep up with his and Frane's swift fighting techniques. He saw Xenta doing the same with Sophie in the distance. He didn't understand it. He also didn't know how he would stop Huragi, whom he saw in the distance, making his way closer to the monument. As he stepped up to the statue in the middle of the columns, Huragi saw Deuce and Murphy working near the monument, behind the statue. He aimed his cannon.

"I've got you this time," he grunted.

Just then, a loud rumbling was heard overhead. The sound seemed to catch them all off-guard. Huragi stared up into the clouds of rising smoke from his handiwork. Then, he saw the large vehicle pierce the massive puff of smoke. The Blast Buggy descended to the ground, transforming into its land rover mode quickly and firing on him. The vehicle spun to a stop right in front of the monster and within seconds Earth's four morphed B-Squad Rangers hopped out with blasters targeted and firing.

Huragi went flying in a stream of sparks. As he landed on the ground nearby, he struggled to get to his feet. B-Squad didn't take their eyes off him, as Bridge rushed over, taking a stand between Boom and Casey in the middle.

"Perfect timing!" Bridge yelled.

"We aim to please," Boom said, as Bridge patted him on the shoulder.

"He's not done yet!" Casey added.

"Let's do something about that," B-Squad's Pink Ranger, Meg Thurman said.

"Agreed!" Duc called out.

Bridge watched as the four Rangers formed a square and raised their blaster rifles to the sky. They all came down together, in the exact same spot, in a V-formation.

"Fire!" they all yelled together.

The beams from all four weapons collided creating a massive blast. Huragi crashed to the ground from the impact. Before any of them could grab their morphers, Quinn and Erial stepped up in front of the group. With his morpher drawn, Quinn called for judgment. Within seconds he had a guilty verdict. He looked to Erial.

"Take it," he told her.

Beneath her helmet she smiled, as she pointed her morpher, zapping Huragi into a containment card, which she retrieved from the ground.

"Good job!" Bridge yelled out, as he turned to see Blaze kicking Frane to the ground.

Bridge rushed off to Frane's side, trying to stop Blaze, but the criminal grabbed Erial's fallen blaster and fired upon Bridge, sending him flying. Blaze headed for the thicker part of the brush. He turned back, glaring at his sister.

"Xenta, let's go!"

Xenta, however, had other plans, as she kicked Sophie to the ground and rushed towards the monument, where Deuce was attempting to deactivate the last explosive. Seeing her coming towards the captive Rangers, Murphy leaped on top of her, sending her to the ground and causing the Fernovian morphers she had been carrying to fly into the air. Earth's Pink Ranger caught them in mid-air, landing near the captives. Sophie freed Clestro and Bretti and handed their morphers over. The two morphed in an instant and joined the other two Ranger teams, standing before Xenta.

Seeing his sister staring down the eleven Rangers, Blaze followed the only course of action he could think of. He threw Erial's weapon to the ground, where she grabbed it. With the briefcase in hand, Blaze sprinted into the forest area, leaving his sister behind. Xenta got to her feet, near the monument, as the eleven Rangers stared her down, with weapons drawn. Bridge drew his morpher, pointing directly at her.

"You're accused of terrorism, public vandalism and kidnapping," Bridge said, knowing that even though she was human, her crimes would not be ignored by the rules of Space Patrol Delta. Within seconds, the eleven Rangers had their answer and shouted it together.

"Guilty!"

As Bridge shut his morpher with the flick of the wrist, he pointed it back at the criminal, set for containment. Unlike Huragi, however, Xenta didn't have time for judgment. Before Bridge's thumb could smash the button, Xenta exploded, hit from behind with one of her own large explosives. The Rangers cowered, as the Fernovian monument crumbled along with her body. As the group of Rangers got to their feet the only thing standing in the rubble was the Delta X Series robot that had thrown the live detonator at her.

"Guilty...Guilty...Guilty...Guilty," Deuce repeated over and over, as his red eyes blinked.

"No!" Bridge yelled.

He and Sophie walked slowly over to the robot, which didn't seem to move an inch. He just kept repeating the verdict over and over. With a few tugs at his wiring, they deactivated him.

"The monument...it's gone," Frane said sadly, with his Rangers and Quinn at his side.

"We have to check on Melyk," Erial said. Quinn nodded.

Quinn and the Fernovians rushed off to help their fallen Blue Ranger. Left behind, B-Squad checked the area, as they heard Murphy barking amidst the smoke.

"What is it, boy?" Boom said, as he and B-Squad got closer.

As the smoke cleared, the four members of B-Squad got another surprise. Murphy was holding something in his mouth. Boom reached down and took the item, as he realized it was Xenta's arm, blown completely off her body. Given how she died, it was no surprise. The shock came when he noticed the area where her limb had come off was filled with robotic circuitry.

"Uh..." Boom called out in Bridge & Sophie's direction. "You guys might want to take a look at this."

* * *

Outside the Galactic Council Center on Andruss III, Kat found herself breathing in the fresh air. As the sunlight bathed her, she felt as if she had just been released from prison herself. She could finally breathe easier, but part of her didn't want to. She knew that her testimony might have hurt Sky's case. As she began to walk away from the center into the courtyard, she heard footsteps approaching. She turned and gave a humble smile to an old friend. 

"Pheon," Kat said, as he walked up to her and extended his arm for a hug.

"It's been a long time, Kat," Pheon said, as his light brown ponytail blew in the breeze, along with Kat's dark mane. "You did good."

"Is this allowed after everything that happened in there?" Kat said, looking confused.

"If I were voting in this case as a representative of our home planet, maybe. But, it doesn't really matter what I say to you. The Barconians won't care. As long as I cast the vote they tell me to," Pheon explained, with a kind nod.

Kat forced a smile.

"I wanted to catch you before you left for Earth to say I'm sorry," Pheon said.

"For what?" Kat asked.

"After what happened to Felix, I wanted to make the trip to come see you."

"It's hard to believe it's only been a few months," Kat said. "I miss Felix."

"I do too. There are not many of us left from Lynx. We lost a good one."

"Well, you should still pay a visit to Earth sometime," Kat said. "You'd like it."

"If they've tamed _the_ Kat, there must be something good there."

"Oh, come on, Pheon," Kat said, as she leaned in to whisper. "You know I'll never be tamed."

"Glad to hear it," Pheon said, as he watched her walk away.

As Kat headed towards Galaxy Command, she smiled, realizing her day hadn't turned out so bad after all. Little did she know that controversy was headed for Earth once again, thanks to the situation on Fernovia.

* * *

Inside the Fernovian Infirmary, Bridge shook Melyk's hand. Standing near his bedside were his fellow Fernovian Rangers, Frane, Clestro, Bretti & Erial. Quinn stood near the doorway of the room. 

"I heard your transfer went through," Bridge said to Melyk. "You better get well soon if you want to get out of here."

"Thank you," Melyk said, as he held tight to his bandaged chest.

Frane walked closer to Bridge and shook his hand as well.

"I have to say, you're not what I expected," Frane said. "When Galaxy Command said S.P.D. Earth was sending Rangers to help, I expected someone a lot less..."

As Bridge sensed Frane was searching for the right word.

"Unique?" Bridge filled in the blank.

"Unique," Frane agreed, with a chuckle.

The doors to the Infirmary slid open and B-Squad's Green Ranger, Casey Parker entered. She glanced at Quinn and Bridge.

"Blast Buggy's ready for take off," she announced.

"That's our cue," Quinn added, with a smile to Casey.

He and Bridge bid farewell to the other Fernovians and headed out into the hallway with Casey. Before Quinn could get too far, he heard Erial calling out his name. He walked back to the Infirmary doors, which had closed behind her.

"So Melyk got his transfer," Quinn said. "What about yours?"

"Mine?" Erial said, coyly. "Let's just say it got lost in the translation."

Quinn smiled.

"It's going to take a lot of work to get back to where we were," Erial said. "But, I'm going to see it through."

"I'm glad to hear it," Quinn said, as he paused a bit. "Although, I kinda wish you were leaving. We could use some extra hands on Earth."

"I think Earth has things under control," Erial said, with a smile. "Goodbye, Quinn Gray."

"Bye," Quinn said, his voice low.

After a hug, Erial stepped back into the Infirmary, joining her comrades. Still standing in the hallway, Quinn sighed, never noticing Casey standing at the end of the corridor watching.

"You ready to go home, Gray?" she called out.

Quinn walked over to Casey at the end of the hallway, allowing her to put an arm around his shoulder, as they turned the corner, headed for their ride home.

* * *

Inside Barrett Van Tigue's mansion, Mia found herself wearing a hole into the carpet of her bedroom, as she held the cellphone to her ear, praying for an answer to her call. But alas, there was no response. The other end seemed to ring for an eternity before she gave up, ending the call, just as the doors to the master suite opened revealing the home's owner. 

With a smile, Barrett walked over, kissing her on the cheek, as he began to undress, removing his suit jacket and tie.

"Evening, babe," he spoke. "How was your day?"

"It was okay," Mia said, frowning.

Barrett turned back to her, as he began to unbutton his black dress shirt.

"Really? You don't look okay. Did something happen at lunch with Syren?"

"No," Mia said. "We stayed in. I didn't feel like going out."

"Are you feeling all right?" Barrett asked, as he walked back over to her, placing his hands on her waist.

"No," Mia said, giving him a desperate look. "Anna's not answering the phone I gave her."

Barrett sighed. "Well, she's probably not alone. You know it's against the rules for her to even have it."

"I just feel like she's slipping away," Mia said, as she slumped down on the bed, leaving Barrett standing.

As he finished removing his black dress shirt to reveal the white t-shirt underneath, he shrugged.

"Mia, I don't know what to tell you," Barrett said, as he got a bit more annoyed. He unzipped his black slacks, removing them.

Mia took a deep breath, mustering the courage to ask for the answer she wanted.

"Do you want Anna to live with us?" Mia said.

Barrett sighed, as he slid under the covers, as Mia was still sitting on top of them.

"Mia, our life is complicated," Barrett said, as he reached for her hand, pulling her on top of him.

As Mia straddled him, she rolled her eyes.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"I want you to be happy," Barrett said, as he began to stroke her hair and kiss her neck.

"I can't be happy without my little girl," Mia said, as she felt his lips descending towards her chest.

Barrett looked into her eyes.

"I know," he said, as he pressed his lips against hers.

Mia closed her eyes, allowing him to remove her shirt. He removed his own, throwing both to the floor, as he grabbed her into his arms. With her hands on his shoulders, Mia steadied herself, trying to calm the angry spirit within her. Barrett gently lifted her body, laying her down on the bed and lowering himself on top of her. As she felt his lips touch her skin again, she let go, allowing his lust for her flesh to end their conflict for another night.

* * *

Deep within the Delta Command Base, another being was tossing and turning in bed. Piggy's movements, however, had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with fear. He couldn't escape his dreams of Z Delgado. He dreamed of garbage heaps, but only seconds would go by before she popped up. Z's ghost refused to release him. He saw her morning, noon and night, always at times when he was at his most fearful...much like this moment. 

"Piggy!"

Piggy almost jumped from the bed, as well as his own skin, upon hearing her shout his name. As he sat up in bed, feeling his gums smacking together nervously, he felt his body begin to shake. His eyes never opened.

"You're not there," Piggy said. "I'm just dreaming."

"You don't dream, Piggy," he heard her ghostly yell. "Your life is a nightmare!"

Piggy grabbed a hold of the blanket he had used to cover himself, only to feel it yanked from his grip. That action caused him to open his eyes and there he saw her translucent form standing at the foot of his bed. The ghostly apparition of Z Delgado had cast her ghoulish eyes upon him.

"Why are you doing this?" Piggy said, shivering.

"I told you, Piggy," the ghost spoke. "I will haunt you forever for what you've done! Your soul will never reach redemption."

"I want to try," Piggy stammered.

"Redemption only comes for the repentant," Z spoke, her voice booming in his ears.

One floor above Piggy's quarters, directly above him, the real Z Delgado stood in the exact same position in her quarters. She stood on a small mechanical platform, resembling an old Earth scale. As she spoke, her ghostly form spoke to Piggy. An intricately placed series of holographic projectors throughout the Delta Command Base, allowed Z's ruse to haunt Piggy at every turn. As she heard the bed shaking under Piggy's cringing weight, she smiled.

"The truth will set you free, Piggy. But we both know, for you, the truth is an impossibility!"

"Ahhhhh!" Piggy screamed as he covered his ears and snapped his eyes shut, until the ghost had disappeared.

* * *

Inside the Command Center, Quinn, Bridge and Sophie stood waiting. Standing between the other two, Bridge yawned. 

"Anyone know why this meeting with Kat couldn't wait?" Bridge asked aloud.

At the communications station at the rear of the room, the floating alien technician, Niyako simply nodded her head. At that moment, the doors slid open and Kat & Pryce entered. As she walked past the Rangers, Kat nodded.

"Welcome back," she said, somberly. "I heard what happened. I knew this was a bad idea."

"There was no warning," Bridge said. "He just threw the detonator at her."

"Bridge's right," Sophie chimed in. "He just kept repeating 'guilty' over and over."

"Well, needless to say the Fernovian officials are irate that Ivy Square was destroyed," Kat said. "Despite the terror threat being seemingly over."

"I'm not surprised. We got rid of one problem by destroying part of their culture," Bridge said.

"The Delta X robot did, not you," Pryce added.

"That's why I've halted all field testing on the robots," Kat said. "We're preparing to send Deuce back to Vanguard X. He's being scrapped."

"That sucks," Bridge sighed.

"Isn't there an even bigger issue here?" Quinn spoke up. "Xenta was a robot, a pretty advanced one, given her fighting skills."

"She wasn't a robot. I studied the parts you collected. I found organic material," Pryce said, as he stared at Sophie. "She was a cyborg."

A few moments of silence passed in the room, as they digested the revelation about Xenta's design. Then, an alert noise was heard from the communications station. Niyako turned her small body towards Kat.

"Commander, I'm reading an encrypted signal coming from Level 4," Niyako said, sounding confused. "The room where it's coming from has been vacant for over a year."

"That's weird," Kat said, as she looked at Pryce. "We'll check it out. Come on."

"Wait," Pryce said quickly. "Do we have to deal with it now? It's probably nothing."

"Encrypted signals don't happen for nothing," Kat said, before turning back to the Rangers. "Get some rest. Your bodies will take a while to readjust to being back on Earth."

The trio of Rangers nodded, as Pryce and Kat exited the Command Center. Less than a minute later, the two were headed for the encrypted signal. As they approached the doors, Kat frowned.

"I know this room," she said.

"So do I," Pryce revealed. "My quarters are right around the corner."

"Your quarters used to be my quarters," Kat said, before pointing at the doors in front of them. "And these quarters used to belong to Boom when he was gadget-tester. Niyako's right. No one's been here in over a year."

Pryce looked troubled, as Kat keyed in her access code, causing the doors to slide open. As they stepped inside, the room was indeed empty. There wasn't one piece of furniture or sign of life. Kat's keen sense of hearing, however, alerted her to a computer terminal coming from the closet. As the doors slid open, Pryce knelt beside her, seeing the active terminal with a phrase blinking in red.

**MESSAGE SENT**

Pryce glanced back up at Kat, looking troubled. Kat gave him a confused look.

"Who's message?" Kat wondered.

* * *

Inside a vacant warehouse on the eastern side of Newtech City, the green insectoid, Prax paced back and forth in the darkness, until he finally heard the doors to the place creak with movement. He glanced over at the doorway, as the figure approached in the shadows. 

"Was your mission accomplished?" Prax asked.

After a few moments, Blaze stepped out of the shadows, still carrying the briefcase.

"Yes. Your boss wanted chaos," Blaze said. "He got it."

"Good," Prax said, with a nod.

"There's a problem," he said, as he opened the case, showing Prax that it was empty. "You told me that I would be paid for my services, but I got nothing from the Fernovians. I lost my team on this job!"

"I told you when you contacted me before leaving Fernovia not to worry," Prax said, as he slowly walked in a circle around Blaze. "You will get your payment."

Once he was behind Blaze, he stepped up behind him, pressing at a portion of Blaze's lower back with his claws. Blaze's eyes grew wide for a second, before closing, as his head tilted downward. Prax pulled remote device from the pocket of his white pants and began keying in several codes, before pressing the area of Blaze's back again. Blaze's eyes popped back open. He turned and smiled at Prax.

"I hope we can do business again, my friend," Blaze said, as he walked off into the shadows.

Once he was gone, Prax chuckled.

"Cyborgs," he said under his breath, as he pulled out his own cellphone and began dialing.

* * *

It wasn't often that Mia Storm slept through the night, especially in recent weeks, as thoughts of her daughter filled her mind. But restless nights were out of the ordinary for her boyfriend. So, as she turned over in bed and noticed that her lover was gone, she felt curious. She sat up in the bed and listened for a moment. She heard nothing coming from the bathroom. She slid out of bed and slipped into her silk robe. As she felt the carpet between her bare toes, she reached the doorway. It was then that she began to hear a faint voice coming from across the hall. 

Seeing a light shining underneath the doorframe, Mia crossed over to the door, gently sliding it open enough to peek in. Inside Barrett's office, she saw her boyfriend pacing the room, on his cellphone, as Lady Vishus sat in his desk chair playing with her cane, while her feet rested on his desk. Barrett was wearing only his gray boxer briefs and Vishus was clad in tiny shorts and a tank top, both black. Mia's eyes narrowed on Barrett.

"So, it all worked out?" Barrett spoke into the phone.

Mia's curiosity rose.

"The robot did what?" Barrett asked, appearing to be delighted. "That's perfect. I can't believe it's all coming together. My plans are finally going to happen. I'm glad you set our cyborg friend straight, Prax. He did his job and so did you. I'll talk to you at the club tomorrow."

Mia watched Barrett end his call with Prax, as Vishus stood up from his chair and walked over, patting him on the shoulder.

"Sounds like things went off without a hitch," Vishus said, slyly.

"Even better," Barrett said, with a smile. "More than I ever could have hoped. I'm one step closer to getting everything that I want and I may have ensured that Space Patrol Delta has no way of stopping me."

As Barrett and Vishus laughed together, Mia's eyes grew wide.

**TO BE CONTINUED IN...**

"Trusted"  
Mia loses trust in Barrett, which draws her closer to Syd's  
loyalty and Lady Vishus's wrath. Dr. Jensen tries to fix  
the X-Squad programming issues, which have Bridge & Kat  
worried. Sophie, however, may provide the key he needs.  
Sky's hearing gets more tense, as Ellie Gray is called to  
the stand and Sky's mother is not content to sit on the  
sidelines. Piggy is pushed over the edge by Z's ghost.


	7. Heritage

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"HERITAGE" **

**MESSAGE SENT**

As Kat stared at the computer terminal from across the room, she was filled with questions. What kind of message was sent from inside Boom's old quarters? Why was the terminal hidden in a closet? Who sent this message and where did it go? As she contemplated possible answers to her inquiries, she became even more troubled. The doors were locked and only someone with the proper access code could enter.

The only members of S.P.D.'s Earth Headquarters who had such authorization were the department Chiefs, the Rangers, service technicians and of course, herself. She could easily scratch her own name from the list, since she knew she hadn't been in Boom's quarters since he had left his post as her gadget-tester two years ago. She shook her head as she calculated the number of people who made up the other three groups.

She was in a room with two of them at this very moment. She glanced over at Dr. Pryce Jensen, S.P.D.'s Chief of Technology, who was in the process of accessing the terminal's communications drive in an effort to decipher what the message was and where it was sent. Kat still didn't completely trust him. She had believed that her mixed opinion of him was due to his cocky attitude and the fact that he had taken over her post. But now, she wondered if she should be trying to convince herself of his innocence or looking at him as a serious suspect.

On the side of the room opposite the door, Kat glanced at Ghiren, the only other being in the room. The technician had been there for hours scanning every square inch of the quarters, looking for some trace of an intruder. He was a tracking specialist, Kat knew, but she didn't know much else about him. He was dedicated to his work, but Kat had found it strange that he was absent for most of the preceeding day. Before his request for a personal day, Kat had wondered if he or Niyako ever took time off. That was another conundrum. He & Niyako seemed inseparable, yet the communications technician told Kat that she had no idea where Ghiren had spent his day off.

_I'm getting paranoid._

Kat shook her head, trying to move past conspiracy theories towards more concrete issues. At that moment, the entrance to the room slid open and B-Squad's Blue Ranger, Boom walked in, looking confused, as he saw Ghiren running his scanner across the floor and Pryce fiddling with the computer terminal. He walked over to Kat.

"Commander, you called for me? What's going on?" Boom asked.

"Boom, when was the last time you were in here?" Kat asked, curiously.

She waited almost thirty seconds for Boom to rack his brain for an answer.

"I'd say it was one year and eight months ago," Boom said, as he rested his arms behind his back, taking the traditional cadet's stance, despite being great friends with his superior.

"And you haven't been around here since then?"

"No," Boom said, before frowning a bit. "Wait...actually, I was kinda on this level yesterday."

"Doing what?"

"Well, B-Squad was headed for training and we wanted to take a bit of a shortcut, so I suggested we cut through Level 4. I was gonna show the guys where my old room was, but then we ran into Duc and we got the distress call from Fernovia," Boom explained.

"You _ran into_ Duc?" Kat asked, looking confused.

"Yeah," Boom said. "He didn't make it to our morning class. He was sick, but he caught up with us around the corner. It was kinda strange since cadets' quarters are on Level 6, but like I said we got called away and it all worked out...I guess. What happened?"

"We had a security breach," Kat told him. "Someone accessed this room and used that terminal to send out an encrypted message."

"Really?" Boom said. "It wasn't me."

"I didn't think so," Kat said. "I just wanted to be sure."

"Of course. You're the Commander now. I understand," Boom said, with a smile.

"And you're the cadet now. You should get back to training," Kat ordered.

Boom saluted quickly and headed for the doors. As they slid open, he almost bumped into Officer Bridge Carson who was heading in at that very moment.

"Slow down there...cadet!" Bridge said, sarcastically, smiling at Boom.

"Yes...sir!" Boom said, with a wink, before hustling off down the corridor.

Kat joined Bridge at the doorway, passing Pryce, who was still on the floor dealing with the terminal.

"Shuttle's ready for take off," Bridge said, as he glanced past Kat into the room. "Any luck with the strange message?"

"None yet," Kat said with a troubling sigh.

She glanced at Pryce for a moment, seeing that he was paying them no attention. She gestured for Bridge to step out into the hallway. She waited to speak until the doors had closed behind her.

"Part of me doesn't want to leave," Kat told Bridge.

"Dr. Jensen's gonna be in charge until you get back," Bridge stated, before thinking again. "You're not worried about him, are you?"

"I don't know. Sometimes I get this vibe from him that there's a lot more going on than he's saying," Kat explained. "Then there's other times when I feel completely comfortable with him. You haven't picked up on anything have you?"

"No. I haven't sensed anything overtly deceptive about him," Bridge said. "But, I haven't spent a lot of time around him either, with everything that's been going on."

Kat nodded her head. Sensing her apprehension, Bridge spoke up.

"You want me to stay behind and look after things?"

"No, Bridge," Kat said quickly. "Sky needs our support and I have a feeling Quinn will too with his mother testifying in Sky's hearing. For now I have to trust Pryce, until he gives me reason not to."

"Well, we still have Sophie sticking around. I'll tell her to keep her eyes open for anything suspicious," Bridge said.

"Good idea. I'll meet you at the shuttle," Kat said, as Bridge trotted off.

Kat turned back to the closed doors. She took a deep breath, as she knew she had to go back in and make sure Pryce knew that she trusted him with the safety of S.P.D. Headquarters. Her conflicting emotions were back again, regarding his behavior. This time, she didn't struggle to push them aside.

* * *

As Mia Storm exited the office of Barrett Van Tigue inside the Purgatory Lounge, part of her wanted to spit out the coffee she had just downed, along with her fake smile. Her quiet breakfast with her boyfriend had been interrupted by Lady Vishus. It was becoming harder for Mia to hold in her disdain for Barrett's bodyguard. The scary thing was that she was beginning to feel similar contempt for Barrett as well, so she left them as they prepared for their morning meeting.

As she closed the door, something in her held tight to the doorknob, almost wanting to listen in to see if they were talking about his phone call from the night before. Mia was still troubled at what she heard. Barrett was apparently doing business with cyborgs and making plans that he didn't want Space Patrol Delta to learn about. Mia sighed, finally turning away from the doorway and plowing into the tall green form of Prax. Mia was knocked backwards, but Prax braced her, preventing Mia from crashing into the wall behind her.

"Oh, Mia," Prax said quickly. "I'm sorry. I had my eyes on this morning's newspaper."

"It's okay," Mia said, nervously. "It's my fault. I should have been watching where I was going."

"I think we're even then," Prax said, in his insect-like voice, as he nodded.

"What?" Mia said, looking troubled.

"We were both to blame," Prax explained.

"Oh, right."

"I'm late for my meeting," Prax said, as he pointed at Barrett's office.

"Of course," Mia said, faking a smile. "Barrett and Vishus are already in there."

"Good day to you," Prax said, before disappearing into the office.

Mia watched him go. As the door shut on Barrett's office once again, she frowned. Inside the office, Prax found himself walking in on a different conversation.

"I don't like it!" Vishus told Barrett, sternly. "I know I work for you, but that doesn't give her the right to treat me that way."

"What's going on?" Prax asked.

"It's nothing," Barrett nodded to Prax, before looking back at his bodyguard. "V, I'm sure Mia didn't mean anything. She's just feeling lonely without her daughter. She was upset all day. That's why she had a short fuse with you yesterday."

"It's a good thing you like her..." Vishus said, as she turned her back to him and folded her arms, angrily.

Prax could feel Vishus seething across the room. He knew that her statement was a conditional threat and Lady Vishus was not one to make idle threats. Van Tigue knew it as well. He patted Vishus on the shoulder in an attempt to calm her, as he looked over at Prax.

"How are things coming?" Barrett asked him.

"Well," Prax said, as he held up the newspaper in his hand, which showed a photograph of the destroyed Ivy Square on Fernovia, along with a correlating article. "The news of the Rangers' acts on Fernovia have reached Earth already!"

"Good," Barrett said, with a smirk. "They should really be more careful."

"It's a shame to lose Xenta," Vishus said, through her pouting red lips. "She was such a young, beautiful...piece of machinery."

"It's a war, Vishus," Barrett said, as he strolled around to his desk chair and sat down. "There are always casualties. I would have loved to keep her on the...payroll a bit longer, especially given what I have planned for Earth, but it's an acceptable loss, given the bigger picture."

"Speaking of the bigger picture," Prax spoke. "Have you heard from our S.P.D. informant? How is Piggy doing?"

At the sound of the alien's name, Barrett rolled his eyes. He leaned back in his chair and huffed, as he shook his head in annoyance.

"Not well," Barrett revealed. "If he wasn't keeping tabs on where the Rangers were going, his reports would be useless."

"Then let me kill him!" Vishus said, as she dropped both her palms onto Barrett's desk and leaned over it towards him.

Her tight black catsuit was unzipped enough where Barrett could see her cleavage heaving forth.

"Easy, V," Barrett shot back, keeping his eyes above her neck.

"I'm getting so bored," Vishus responded. "If I don't break something soon, I may explode."

"You'll get your chance, all in due time," Barrett told her. "But for now, Piggy must be untouched. I still need him alive."

* * *

Inside the Delta Command Base on Earth, many puzzled minds were trying to figure out the identity behind an encrypted message. While they weren't sure if the culprit was friend or foe, that analogy also described an alien being residing within those walls. Not even he was sure if he was a friend or foe to Space Patrol Delta. The only thing Piggy was sure of was that he had to do whatever he could to ensure his own safety. His debts were piled too high and the current offer on his table was one he couldn't pass up.

The opportunity to wipe that slate clean, however, was proving to come at a high price. He was forced to kill a trusted friend and forced still to transmit a scheduled report to his new boss, Barrett Van Tigue. As he sat at the desk inside his quarters, typing out his latest message feverishly, he could feel his stomach turning.

Piggy was used to that feeling and always knew when it would creep up on him. It was usually at times when he knew he was doing something wrong. As Piggy finished his message, detailing to Van Tigue that two of the S.P.D. Rangers had left for Andruss III, along with Commander Manx, he grabbed a small bowl which sat next to the terminal. Piggy grabbed the spoon and began to scarf down the green gelatin dessert. As the substance hit his tongue, his face became contorted. He turned his head and spat the concoction directly onto the floor.

"Ew, this is the worst mold I've ever tasted," Piggy said aloud, disgusted. "It doesn't even taste moldy!"

He had ordered the dessert from a food dispenser after seeing "jello mold" on the menu. It was a mistake he knew he wouldn't make again. He dropped the bowl back on his desk, not even paying attention to the fact that it spilled onto the floor. He finished his message and pressed the appropriate commands, which sent the email to one of several dummy accounts owned by Barrett Van Tigue. Piggy sighed.

"That's done," he said, as he stood up and limped over to his bed. His injuries from the firewall massacre the year before were flaring up, but he had the fear of his fallen friend to keep his mind off that, for the most part.

He grabbed a sack from underneath his bed and began filling it with the few items in the room that he wanted to take with him. As he grabbed a torn white shirt from the floor, he thought of her again. Z had given that piece of clothing to him, along with most of his other rags, which she had found at a used clothing store. Piggy had added a few nasty touches to make them his own. As he stuffed the shirt into his cloth sack, the practically transparent projection of Z Delgado appeared behind him.

"Going somewhere?"

Piggy jumped in fear at the sound of her voice. He stumbled onto the bed and looked at her.

"Don't you ever knock?" Piggy said, through his chattering gums.

"You can't escape me, Piggy!" Z's ghostly voice boomed throughout the room so loud that Piggy swore the walls were shaking as much as he was.

"I can try!" Piggy said, as he grabbed hold of the sack and headed for the doorway.

At this point he was limping so badly that he grabbed his cane and used it to move a bit faster, out into the corridor. As the doors slid shut behind him, he had left the ghost behind. He walked purposefully down the corridor and turned a corner, passing right through Z's transparent form. Piggy just kept heading for the exit, trying not to stop, no matter what tricks his eyes wanted to play on him.

"Stop!" Z yelled, as she saw him walking further away. "The truth is the only way out, Piggy! The only way!"

"You said it yourself," Piggy said, as he turned another corner, seeing the exit in his sights. "The truth is an impossibility for me. My only option is to get as far away from this place as possible!"

"No, Piggy! Your spirit will never be at rest!"

"If I don't go, neither will yours," Piggy said, under his breath, as he stepped up to one of the Delta Command Base's side entrances.

The doors slid open in front of him.

"Piggy!" Z's ghost yelled from a few feet behind him. "If you leave—"

Piggy stepped outside. As the doors to the base closed behind him, he couldn't hear her any longer. He stopped in his tracks, as he noticed. He turned back to the Delta Command Base and stared at it for just a moment, then he turned from left to right, looking for any sign of her. There was none. Piggy breathed a deep sigh.

"Finally," Piggy said, as he began to walk further out into the city.

Inside her quarters in the Delta Command Base, Z stepped off of the holographic platform that projected her image throughout the base. She silently cursed, as she trotted over to her window and peeked carefully outside. She saw Piggy walking away in the distance. Z slammed her fist on the wall in frustration. While she could project her "ghost" anywhere inside the base, given the projection sensors installed all over the place, she couldn't make her ghostly form appear out there.

* * *

"He's up to something," Isinia said, as she glanced at her husband standing in one of the long hallways inside the Galactic Council Center on Andruss III. Cruger rubbed her arm.

"I'm certain of it," Cruger agreed with his wife. "Obla Grutton's calling Ellie Gray to testify for only one reason. To drive the knife even deeper into Sky. He's making this personal."

"Well, I'm going to try to make sure that doesn't happen," Isinia sighed. "I need to go check on Sky. I'll see you inside the Council Chamber."

Cruger nodded, as Isinia walked off, slowly. Given her advanced pregnancy, she wasn't as mobile as she used to be. Cruger watched her walking down the hallway until she turned a corner, disappearing from his sight. His vision was then replaced with the image of two walking figures in the distance. They seemed to be heading straight for him. Cruger took a deep breath, as the two Council Representatives walking up to him.

"Supreme Commander, good day," Representative Alaina Doherty said. Earth's representative greeted Cruger with a bow.

"Good morning, Alaina," Cruger responded. He then nodded to the Council Representative from Fernovia, who had arrived with Doherty. "Representative Urgundii, I'm sorry about Ivy Square."

"It is a devastating tragedy," Urgundii said, his voice tinged with anger. "I just don't understand why the Fernovian Rangers would have engaged in battle there. It's forbidden!"

"They were doing what they thought was right for the greater good," Cruger explained.

"_Greater_ good?" Doherty repeated. "That's an expression that I find very distasteful, especially in situations like these."

"I agree," Urgundii spoke.

"The greater good is the same reason given for Officer Tate's destruction of Omallix," Doherty observed.

"I don't think the comparison is quite so clear cut," Cruger said, annoyed. "The Rangers did everything in their power to keep the people of Fernovia safe, including two of the Fernovian cadets who were held hostage."

"Still," Urgundii continued, "A fundamental piece of my planet is gone. I wished that my people would get S.P.D. interference in this conflict. I never imagined it would turn into a personal nightmare."

Cruger sighed, as he sensed the disappointment in both their voices.

"I apologize again," Cruger said.

"So do I," a voice called out in the distance.

The trio turned to see S.P.D. Earth's Commander, Kat Manx approaching. She bowed with respect to the Representatives.

"I'm deeply sorry for what happened," Kat said quickly. "If there's anyone to blame, it's me. I shouldn't have allowed our Officers to travel with an untested robot."

"I trust that he has been deactivated?" Representative Doherty stressed.

"Yes, ma'am," Kat responded. "I saw to it personally before leaving Earth."

Representative Urgundii continued to shake his head, as his gaze lowered to the floor.

"I'll never understand it," he said. "My planet ravaged by robots...on both sides."

Urgundii walked away without another word. Alaina Doherty cut her eyes at Cruger for only a second, before following after Urgundii, no doubt trying to further mend the situation.

"Why do I get the feeling Sky just lost a vote?" Kat mumbled to Cruger.

He took a deep breath and turned to her.

"Opinions change quickly in the realm of politics, Kat," Cruger said, a bit more optimistically. "There's still a long way to go."

"I just hope it's long enough," Kat said, seriously.

* * *

Outside the Galactic Council Center, Quinn Gray stood, lightly tapping his heel on the ground. He was careful not to push too much. He didn't want to inadvertently activate his genetic power and go flying off into the clouds. He had been waiting for this moment all day. Finally, the hover-tram arrived. He caught sight of his mother stepping off, behind a few other visitors. He made his way through them and smiled, as he locked eyes with her.

With only a few feet separating them, they both stopped. It had been so long since they had seen one another and that had ended badly after the revelation that Nathan Tate was his father. After only a few seconds, Quinn extended his arms towards her and smiled. Ellie walked over and embraced her son tightly.

"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time, causing a welcomed chuckle.

"What are you sorry for?" Ellie said, as she looked into his eyes. "You called. After everything that happened on your birthday, you called. That's all I needed."

"How are you?"

"I was doing fine, until I got summoned here," Ellie said, a bit troubled. "I don't know what this Advocate Grutton thinks I can contribute to Sky's case."

"I have a feeling he's going to try to drag Sky further through the mud, using you to do it," Quinn said, angrily.

"You're getting emotional over this," Ellie said, as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I guess you and Sky have made progress?"

"I think so," Quinn said.

"That's the best news I've heard in a while," Ellie said, as she hugged him again. "I'm sure Sky could use all the support he can get."

At that moment, they heard a bit of commotion several yards away. As they turned, they saw a large crowd of reporters moving closer towards the Council Center. Quinn frowned, as he saw the large rabbit-like ears of Obla Grutton moving in the middle of the crowd.

"Oh no," Quinn muttered. "It's him."

Ellie looked at the crowd of reporters, as the flashes from their recording devices went off, apparently focused on Grutton. The Grays watched as the frenzied reporters began to disperse a bit. Grutton made his way through the crowd and it was at that point that they noticed he wasn't alone. Quinn took a few steps forward, as he saw Grutton had his arm around someone and was ushering that person through the crowd. It was a woman...a human woman.

"Who is that?" Quinn wondered, as he looked closer at the raven-haired woman.

"Sky's mother," Ellie said, as she caught a glimpse of Stephanie Tate, walking with Grutton into the Council Center.

* * *

As Sydney Drew sat on the piano stool, next to her accompanying alien pianist, Rogi, she smiled. Spending time with him rehearsing was one of the rare times she felt alive inside the Purgatory Lounge. He had just played a tune from his home planet that was his daughter's favorite.

"You should play that one sometime for the crowd," she told him.

"Oh please, Syren. We both know they only come to see you," Rogi said back, with a hearty chuckle.

She patted him on the back, as she heard a glass shatter behind her. She turned on the piano stool and heard Mia curse from behind the bar. She glanced over at Rogi.

"I'll be back."

Rogi nodded, as Syd walked over behind the bar and saw Mia trying to pick up the small pieces of glass that now littered the floor. Syd grabbed a towel from the bar and knelt beside her.

"Be careful," Mia said quickly. "Barrett wouldn't like it if his star got cut."

"You okay?" Syd said, as she handed the towel to Mia, who began gathering up the smaller pieces, while Syd disposed of the larger ones.

"Do you ever wonder if it's worth it?" Mia said to her.

"What do you mean?" Syd looked confused. "If what's worth it?"

"Nothing," Mia said, as she threw the glass-filled towel into the trash and grabbed a fresh one.

"Come on," Syd said. "Talk to me."

After a moment of silence, Mia sighed.

"I guess I just don't know who to trust sometimes," Mia said.

Syd was now more confused than ever. Was Mia talking about her? Had she somehow caught on to Syd's ruse?

"Trust?"

"I put my faith in..." Mia's voice trailed off, as she caught herself. "I put my faith in an ideal that I just don't think can come true anymore."

Breathing a silent sigh of relief, Syd pressed on for more.

"This is about Barrett and Anna?" Syd guessed.

Mia stood up and sat the rag on the bar. Syd stood up next to her. As Mia opened her mouth to speak, she heard the piano playing on the other side of the room, where Rogi was tapping the keys. She then saw Lady Vishus coming from the back of the lounge. She watched Barrett's personal valet and bodyguard stroll out the front door.

"I can't talk about this now," Mia said, her voice low. "Not here."

"Then, come by my place," Syd said. "It's private. We can talk about whatever you want."

Mia thought over her troubling thoughts for a moment and then nodded to Syd.

"Okay," she said. "I'll meet you there later. Maybe it'll help me sort through things."

"I hope so," Syd said, with a comforting smile.

From outside the Purgatory Lounge, Lady Vishus watched their exchange from a window, as she sneered.

* * *

Inside the main laboratory of S.P.D. Headquarters, Doctor Pryce Jensen had a huge task in front of him, a task that he had placed into his own hands. He had moved the three dormant Delta X Series robots from the center of the room, which was now occupied by a large table, which held the parts of the robot known as Deuce. He had scanned all of the circuitry twice and was in the middle of studying the data when he heard the doors to his laboratory slide open. He glanced up at his unexpected visitor.

"You're in trouble," Sophie said, as she walked in closer, seeing what he was working on. "Didn't Commander Manx halt all the work on the Delta X robots?"

"She stopped the field testing," Pryce corrected. "I'm not field testing. I'm trying to figure out what went wrong with your friend, Deuce here."

"Don't confuse me with Bridge," Sophie said. "It wasn't my friend. It's a robot. It's not like it thinks or feels or even wanted friends."

"I never knew cyborgs were so defensive," Pryce said, as he went back to studying the data. "What can I do for you, Sophie?"

"I just came to get an update on that encrypted message. Bridge filled me in before he left," Sophie explained.

"Still nothing. I'm running several decryption programs to see what I can come up with, but so far, no luck," Pryce said.

"I wonder who sent it," Sophie said, as she noticed that Pryce was paying more attention to his work on the robot than he was to their conversation. "So, is there anything I can do to help?"

"I thought I was in trouble," Pryce said.

"Me helping you won't change that," Sophie said, with a smirk. "Despite the misconceptions about cyborgs, we actually do have a lot in common with robots. Maybe I can assist."

"Unless you've got some secret circuitry knowledge that I don't, I doubt it will help speed things up. I have to send Deuce back to Vanguard X before Commander Manx returns from the hearing, or I really will be in trouble," Pryce explained.

"Well, why don't we just cut to the chase then," Sophie said, as she unzipped her white jumpsuit and began to peel it off, revealing a pastel pink t-shirt underneath.

"Whoa, Sophie!" Pryce shouted. "I don't know what your definition of assisting is, but you're moving a little too fast for me...and that's saying a lot!"

"Do you want to get a look at my circuits or not?" Sophie retorted. "I think it might help you get a new perspective on things."

After peeling the jumpsuit down to her waist, she lifted up her shirt, allowing Pryce to see her bare back. As he looked closer he noticed a familiar symbol etched into her outer skin.

"_Vanguard X_?" Pryce looked confused. "You were created by Vanguard X?"

"Yep," Sophie said. "The Cybortech Series."

"Cybortech Series? I've never heard of it."

"I'm not surprised. There were only five created, before they discontinued it because of public outcry. They thought cyborgs were going to invade society," Sophie said.

"Five? Do you know what happened to the others?"

"When I realized what I was I got curious and contacted Vanguard X, but they wouldn't tell me. They just advised me to keep quiet about myself and not try to find the others. Given all the ridicule of cyborgs at the time, I followed their advice," Sophie explained.

"Xenta," Pryce said, under his breath, as he walked over to another table and picked up a piece of her broken arm. "Do you think Xenta may have been one of the five?"

"I fought her," Sophie said. "Her reflexes were superhuman and she fought with emotion. There was life in her eyes. I wouldn't doubt it."

"Bridge seems to think that Blaze was a cyborg too given his skills and their family connection," Pryce said. "If they were both from the Cybortech Series, they're practically your family too."

"They're **not** my family, no matter where they come from!" Sophie said, angrily.

* * *

Piggy turned a corner, passing another building and he couldn't help but look behind to make sure that the ghostly apparition of Z Delgado was truly gone. He even felt his mind begin to clear, as he got farther away from the Delta Command Base. He stopped in his tracks and took a moment to breathe in the fresh air.

At that moment, he heard a rustling in a nearby alleyway, which almost caused him to jump out of his skin. He peeked around the corner into the alley and it was then that he saw a white cat run out from behind a dumpster. As the feline sprinted past Piggy and down the street, he breathed easy. He leaned his back against the brick wall and shook his head.

Further down that alleyway, behind the dumpster where the cat had previously emerged, Z Delgado was wearing her street clothes, thankful that Piggy hadn't come further in to find out what had spooked the cat. She peeked around the dumpster and saw Piggy leaning against the wall, with his sack in one hand and his cane in the other. She looked troubled.

For she knew that there was no way she could project herself out here in the middle of the city, with no projection sensors and no holographic platform around. She also knew that she couldn't use any of her duplicates. They looked too real to fool Piggy, after he had come so close to her ghost already.

On the other side of town, Barrett Van Tigue found himself checking his email account for word from Piggy. After opening up the new email, he felt troubled. Piggy not only told him the whereabouts of the Rangers, which was valuable knowledge to Van Tigue. He also revealed in his message that he was leaving Space Patrol Delta, because he couldn't face the memories of his past there and what he had done. Barrett's frown intensified.

"Oh no, Piggy," Barrett said to himself. "You're not getting off that easily."

* * *

From the moment Ellie Gray took the witness stand inside the Galactic Council Chamber there had been absolutely no sound heard in the room. Ellie could actually hear herself breathe. As she walked up the aisle to take her seat, she had told herself that she wouldn't look into the gallery. But, as the silence continued for what seemed like an eternity, she couldn't fight the urge.

Ellie Gray looked up and saw that the room was indeed full. The first face she saw was Sky's. He sat stone-faced, looking at her. In fact, they were all looking at her. Isinia & Doggie Cruger, Kat, Bridge, her son and the filled rows of reporters and interested bystanders all had their eyes on her. Her eyes spread across them all until her gaze stopped on the right side of the gallery and she locked eyes with the dark-haired woman in the front row there.

The fire in Stephanie Tate's eyes seemed to be burning a hole through Ellie in that moment. Her contempt was obvious and expected, Ellie thought. However, the fact that Stephanie was not seated on her son's side of the chamber spoke volumes. The sound of Advocate Grutton's hard-soled boots knocking against the marble flooring destroyed the silence. Ellie turned and looked into his golden eyes.

"Mrs. Gray—I'm sorry. It's Ms. Gray, isn't it?" Grutton started.

"You can call me Ellie if you'd like."

"Ms. Gray will be fine," Grutton said, slyly. "You retired from active duty with S.P.D. over eighteen years ago. Is that true?"

"Yes," Ellie said quickly.

"You returned to Newtech City late last year. Why?" Grutton asked.

Ellie glanced a bit towards the Council altar, and saw that all seven of them were also staring directly at her, silently.

"I went to visit my son."

"Your son?" Grutton pressed on.

"Yes. Quinn Gray," Ellie confirmed.

"You met Officer Tate during that visit. Is that right?"

"I met Sky Tate years before that. He was about five years old," Ellie explained, as her eyes nervously shifted to Stephanie Tate. "But, my visit to Newtech City was the first time I had seen him as an adult."

"I understand he conducted a personal tour of Earth's Delta Command Base. Tell us what happened," Grutton said.

"I hadn't been to the base in many years. There had been a lot of changes. We didn't have a Delta Command Megazord when I was active," Ellie explained. "Sky offered to show me some of the areas that had remained the same. He led me to an interrogation room."

"What happened next?" Grutton asked, as he appeared troubled.

"Sky began to ask me questions. He was pressuring me for answers regarding his father."

Murmurs began to rise from the gallery.

"Order," Galactic Council President Otto Cali spoke up quickly to silence the bystanders.

"How would you characterize Officer Tate's behavior?" Grutton asked.

"He was angry," Ellie spoke honestly. "He refused to stop his tirade until I told him what he wanted to know. That was when my son came in. He and Sky tussled."

"Tussled?" Grutton fished for clarification.

"Sky pushed Quinn up against a wall," Ellie revealed, a bit annoyed at Grutton's line of questioning.

At that moment Isinia rose from her seat and faced the Council altar.

"I don't see the relevance of this. Ms. Gray was retired at the time of Omallix's original capture. She had no information with regards to that case...nor to this one," she shouted.

"It goes to Officer Tate's state of mind. This incident occurred only weeks before he committed murder," Grutton shot back.

"We'll allow it," Cali said, after a few nods from the Council representatives. "Continue, Ms. Gray."

"I thought he was going to hurt Quinn. I yelled at him. He finally calmed down and he let him go," Ellie said, abbreviating the events of that day.

"You yelled what?" Grutton asked.

Isinia called out again.

"Again I ask, what's the relevance of the question?"

"Again, I say it goes to the state of mind of Officer Tate," Grutton said, throwing his arms up in protest. "This witness revealed information that enraged Tate to the point where he could commit an atrocity. I think it's very relevant."

After a few moments of whispering amongst the Council members, Cali turned back to Ellie Gray.

"Answer the question," he ordered.

Ellie took a deep breath.

"I told them...that they're brothers," Ellie revealed.

A chorus of gasps and mumbling were heard coming from the gallery inside the chamber, filling it with clamoring voices, as President Cali again called for order.

"I'm sure that was a painful secret for you to reveal," Grutton said, as Ellie picked up on a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Why did you?"

"Sky was angry. He wanted to know what I knew about Nathan that he didn't," Ellie said, looking confused.

"But there was more to it," Grutton said. "You said you thought he was going to hurt your son. You were scared of him, weren't you?"

"I...I didn't really think he would go that far," Ellie said.

"But you felt your son was in enough danger to tell Tate that you had an affair with his father. It sounds to me that you did it to protect your son from Tate's wrath," Grutton said.

"I object to this," Isinia said, as she tried to stand up quickly. "My fellow advocate's opinion on Ms. Gray's state of mind is not a factor in this hearing!"

"I retract my statement," Grutton said, bowing slightly in concession to Isinia, before turning back to Ellie. He moved closer to her, staring straight into her eyes. "Tell us, Ms. Gray. Were you afraid of Schuyler Tate that day?"

Ellie's eyes had been trained on the floor for the past minute. She knew she would speak the truth. Her head slowly rose and her eyes drifted to Sky, who sat emotionless, watching her.

"Yes."

* * *

As Mia Storm ascended the staircase in the rear of the Purgatory Lounge, she couldn't help but stop for a moment and look back down at her boyfriend's office on the ground floor. The door was closed and she saw Barrett leave with his associates, Vishus and Prax almost an hour ago. But still, the sight of his office took her back to the moment she overheard his phone call.

She was about to reveal that information to a trusted friend. But, as Mia stepped up to Syren Dean's apartment door, she wondered if she could accomplish what she had come to do. She hesitated, as she raised her hand to the door. Then, she knocked.

Mia waited nervously for a few moments, as she didn't hear any response from within. Part of her wanted to turn around. Was Syren even there? They had agreed to meet up, but that was hours ago. Mia turned away from the door, eager to give up.

But then, it opened.

Mia turned to see Syren standing in the doorway wearing a light pink robe, which she seemed to be tying up.

"I almost left," Mia said. "Am I interrupting something?"

"I thought you might have changed your mind," Syd said, with a smile. "I was about to get dressed for my performance tonight. Come in."

"You sure?"

"Come in!" Syd said, as she grabbed Mia's arm, gently pulling her inside.

Like a true undercover operative, Syd glanced out into the hallway briefly, checking for any other signs of life, before closing and locking her door. Mia dropped her purse on the coffee table and slumped onto the couch. Syd grabbed one of the sofa's gray decorative pillows and sat down next to Mia.

"So, what's got you so upset?" Syd asked, not waiting for Mia to open up.

"You were right," Mia said, lowly, as she stared at her fingers, fidgeting. "It's about Barrett."

"What happened?"

As she began to feel the water forming in her eyes, Mia shook her head.

"I'm frightened," Mia said.

"Of what?" Syd asked, looking curious. "Of Barrett?"

"Of his business," Mia answered. "I overheard a phone conversation last night. Barrett is in deep with something. It's just driving home the fact that he can't help me get my daughter back."

"Why not?"

"When I first met Barrett, I thought he was perfect. He gave me a job and he seemed really interested in a relationship with me," Mia explained, as the tears began to flow. "I told him about Anna. He listened to everything. He promised to help me. I believed him."

Syd wasn't sure what to say. Should she condemn Barrett, hoping that Mia might tell her more about the conversation she overheard? She didn't want Mia to clam up.

"All's not lost, Mia. There's still time," Syd said, finally.

"If what I heard on the phone is true, Barrett's mind is somewhere else, somewhere dangerous. That can't help me," Mia said, as she stared into Syd's eyes.

"Oh Mia," Syd said, sadly, hoping Mia might say more.

"Listen to me!" Mia said, angrily. "I'm just as bad. All this time I've been trying to get Barrett to help me get back my daughter. Talk about ulterior motives. I'm just as bad as he is."

Syd grabbed Mia into a comforting hug, as Mia broke down. Syd let out a deep breath, thinking, wondering just how she could turn things in her favor and still help Mia. For now, she was drawing a blank.

* * *

Back in the Galactic Council Chamber on Andruss III, Obla Grutton had taken his seat. The floor now belonged to Isinia Cruger. As she made her way, slowly, from behind her advocate's table, she kept her eyes on Ellie Gray. Isinia didn't look upset. She didn't look happy. She tried to look as neutral as possible. She hoped her demeanor would show the Council that she wasn't worried about the way things were going in the case. She wanted to show them all that nothing Grutton had presented was damning enough to convict Sky.

"Ms. Gray, I only have one question for you," Isinia said, with a calming nod. "Do you blame Sky for his reaction to you on the day in question?"

Ellie Gray seemed taken aback by the question. A few feet away, Sky seemed curious. From his seat across the chamber, Obla Grutton looked nervous.

"No," Ellie said, sincerely. "Of course not."

"Tell us more," Isinia said.

"I shattered the image he had of his father," Ellie said, as she looked at the Council. "Any child would be shaken by that."

She turned and faced Quinn, who was seated between Bridge & Kat in the front row of the spectator's gallery.

"My kid was crushed too," Ellie spoke earnestly. "Nathan and I made a decision all those years ago. It was a decision that changed lives. Sky was hurt. He had every right to be."

"What do _you_ know about rights?"

The raised voice of Stephanie Tate penetrated the Council Chamber. All eyes turned from the witness seat where Ellie sat to the other side of the chamber, where Stephanie was now standing, looking furious.

"Order," Cali said calmly.

"You destroyed my family!" Stephanie screamed at Ellie.

"Order!" Cali yelled out, as murmurs from the gallery were growing louder.

"Mrs. Tate, please!" Isinia called out.

"No!" Stephanie shouted. "She did all of this! It's all because of her!"

As Stephanie continued her hysterical outburst, Cruger rose and walked over to her, grabbing her by the arms. Sky rose from his chair, as many in the chamber had also done. Quinn kept his eyes on his mother, as everyone else was focused on Mrs. Tate. Ellie looked uneasy as she took in Stephanie Tate's verbal assault.

"Stephanie, stop it," Cruger said.

"This is all her fault!" Stephanie yelled across the room, before turning to Cruger. "And yours! You allowed her to tear my family apart and now my son is here because of you!"

As Cruger heard Stephanie's words, he caught sight of the Galactic Council representatives, all standing. He glanced at Representative Urgundii, who was shaking his head, somberly. Cali continued to press the chime on his control panel, calling for order, but as the voices grew louder and the flashes invaded the calm, he knew there was no use in continuing.

* * *

Pryce Jensen was nervous as he stared at the exposed circuits inside Sophie's back. He had hooked her up to his computer terminal and downloaded a wealth of information about how her operating systems worked. The Delta X robots were downright primitive compared to Sophie. Still, something felt wrong to him about practically deactivating Earth's Pink Ranger. After the download was complete, he detached her from the upload connector and closed the panel on her back.

Pryce walked around in front of Sophie, seeing her head slightly bent forward, unmoving. He reached behind her neck, gently brushing aside her blond ponytail. With only a slight push to the back of her neck, Sophie was active once again. Her head bobbed up immediately. Her pupils blinked red. Pryce saw her glance at him for a second, as her eyes seemed to move quickly in many directions, as she checked all of her systems.

"You okay?" Pryce asked.

"Fully functional," Sophie said, as she smiled. "Did you have any luck?"

Pryce sighed, as he walked over to the computer terminal, twisting it around at the base, allowing Sophie to see the readouts.

"Your programming is remarkable, Sophie. It's like nothing I've ever seen before," Pryce explained. "But, it would take a complete overhaul of the Delta X Series design to implement any kind of changes based off your circuitry."

"Sorry I couldn't be more helpful," Sophie said.

"You know the thing that intrigued me most was the way your brain works," Pryce said, as he pulled up a schematic of Sophie's brain, which he had downloaded. "If the Delta X robots had something like this, it would solve a whole lot of the problems we've had with Deuce. I wish I could make some sort of fully robotic equivalent of a brain. He could tell us when he's malfunctioning, just like you could."

"That would have certainly helped on Fernovia," Sophie said, as she walked over to the table where the salvaged parts of the cyborg, Xenta lay.

"Still thinking about our earlier conversation?"

"About the Cybortech Series being like a family?" Sophie said, as she shook her head. She picked up Xenta's arm and pointed the exposed circuitry at Pryce. "This doesn't make someone a family."

"I see where you're coming from."

"To most people, I'm a piece of equipment, no smarter or alive than Deuce over there. Finding someone like me doesn't make me feel whole. It's the people who accepted me that do. Bridge, Kat, even Commander Cruger...they treated me like I belonged. They don't care about the Series One Processor Hyper Intelligent Encryptor. I'm just Sophie to them. That's family," Sophie said.

"I understand," Pryce said, as he watched Sophie heading for the doors.

"If you need anymore...assistance, let me know," Sophie said with a smile, before exiting.

As Pryce Jensen glanced back at the terminal, showing the readouts he downloaded from Sophie's systems, he sighed. Sophie was closer to everyone in this base than he was. Pryce wondered if he could ever be a part of this family. Was it even possible?

* * *

A few miles away from the Delta Command Base, someone else who had been invited into the S.P.D. family was trying to find the quickest path out. Piggy turned a corner, unsure of exactly where he was headed. All he knew was that he couldn't turn back. As he noticed a bus station in the distance, he wondered if he might find a sympathetic ticket holder...that he could steal from.

He prepared to cross the street when a black limo pulled up, almost taking his foot off. Piggy quickly retracted the limb, as the vehicle came to a stop and the back window lowered.

"Looking for a ride, my friend?"

Piggy locked eyes with Barrett Van Tigue, as the door to the back seat opened, revealing Van Tigue and Prax sitting in the back.

"Get in, Piggy!" Prax shouted.

Piggy took a deep breath before stepping into the black limousine, which quickly pulled off. Piggy couldn't help twisting in his seat to look out the back window. The bus station was quickly a distant memory.

"Piggy, we've had this conversation already," Barrett spoke. "You're job with S.P.D. is not finished."

"Look, Barry...Barrett," Piggy said, trying to plead with Van Tigue. "I can't do this anymore. You have no idea what I've been through in that place."

"Why don't you tell us, Piggy?" Prax said. "We're all friends here. You've never had a problem doing this kind of work before."

"You don't understand. I just...I keep seeing—" Piggy shut his mouth quickly, as he realized what he was about to say. He didn't want them to think he was going crazy...even if he was.

"Seeing what?" Barrett asked.

"I can't face what I've done," Piggy said, as he lowered his head. "Sometimes I just hate myself."

"If it makes you feel any better, sometimes we hate you too," Prax chuckled, with his insectoid hiss.

"Listen to me, Piggy. If you don't go back to S.P.D. and carry out my orders," Barrett said, as he placed a forceful arm on Piggy's shoulder. "Then, I won't need you anymore. You don't want to be in that position, Piggy. If you think you're life is difficult now, you haven't seen anything yet."

It was a moment of truth for Piggy. He was faced with a difficult decision. He would either return to S.P.D. and face the ghost of his murdered friend or he would refuse to help Barrett Van Tigue any longer, possibly getting blasted from the very obvious weapon bulge he saw in Prax's pocket. Piggy tried to fight the filthy, dishonorable part of him that usually chose his safety over what was right. He lost again.

* * *

The doors to the accused's anteroom slid open and Stephanie Tate was ushered inside, followed closely by Supreme Commander Cruger and Isinia, who was fuming.

"I told you before—" Isinia shouted at Stephanie, as the doors slid closed behind them. But Cruger stepped in front of Isinia, blocking her path to Sky's mother. He rubbed her shoulders quickly.

"Calm down," Cruger said, lowly, before turning back to Stephanie. "Why are you here? Do you think what you just did in there is going to help Sky?"

"It's clear that no one else around here is going to help Sky!" Stephanie shouted, clearly agitated.

"We're the ones trying," Cruger said sternly. "Outbursts like the one you just had in front of the Council will do nothing but show them where Sky gets his rage issues!"

Stephanie stood quietly for a second, as she processed what Cruger said. The doors to the Council Chamber behind the Crugers slid open. Cruger and Isinia turned to see Sky enter.

"Sir, will you and Isinia leave us alone please?" Sky said somberly.

Cruger nodded to Sky and gestured towards the main entrance to the room. Doggie gently tugged Isinia's arm, as she kept her eyes squarely on Stephanie. Doggie could swear he heard a low growl from his wife, as they passed Mrs. Tate and exited into the hallway. After the doors closed behind them, Isinia squeezed her husband's arm.

"He got what he wanted," Isinia said, her voice low.

"What?"

"Grutton...he got what he wanted. He knew. He knew that Ellie wouldn't crucify Sky. That's why he brought Stephanie here," Isinia said, as she shook her head. "He keeps playing us."

"Well now it's your turn," Cruger said to his wife. "That was his last witness. You'll just have to make yours count."

Isinia nodded, agreeing with her husband, as they walked off, putting more space between them and the heated conversation going on inside the anteroom.

"I can't believe her!" Ellie shouted, speaking of Ellie Gray.

"I can't believe _you_!" Sky said, furiously.

"What?" Stephanie said, giving Sky a shocked look. "I was just supposed to let her sit there and drag us further through the mud?"

"She wasn't trying to do that!" Sky yelled. "She answered the questions she was asked and she answered them honestly."

"I don't see how you let them influence you this way," Stephanie said, as she seemed to be staring off past Sky. "Your father—"

Sky cut her off quickly.

"Don't bring dad into this!" he shouted. "This is about you! My life, my career is on the line, not dad's and you may have just cost me big time."

"I can't just sweep my principles under the rug," Stephanie said, as she held her head high.

"You know what mother, I don't care about your principles anymore," Sky said. "I don't want you in the Council Chamber anymore, ever!"

"You show your mother such contempt," she replied. "I guess you hate me now."

"I could never hate you. You're my mother," Sky said. "I spent a lot of time last year trying to make myself hate my father. I can't hate my parents. Honestly, I _pity_ you."

"You pity me?"

"I do, because I know part of the reason you're here is because of Grutton and his entourage of press. You should be happy. I think you'll make the news," Sky said, giving his mother a cold stare.

Stephanie sneered at her son for only a moment, as she walked closer to the exit. She turned back to him, matching his icy gaze.

"Maybe if they send you to prison, you'll have some time to realize how badly you've treated me," Stephanie said, before leaving Sky alone in the room.

* * *

Inside Syd's apartment, she was in her bedroom, trying to figure out how to wear her hair, as she glanced in the mirror. She peeked out into the living room area and saw Mia standing in front of the television, as the Global News Network's evening report was coming on. As Syd saw the face of Cassidy Cornell behind the anchor desk, she almost went back to her mirror. Then, she saw footage playing in the corner featuring some very familiar faces.

As Mia turned up the volume, Syd walked quietly into the area, several feet behind her.

"Advocate Obla Grutton promised fireworks at the beginning of Officer Sky Tate's hearing, but no one could have been prepared for what happened inside the Galactic Council's Chamber today," Cassidy reported, as footage of Stephanie's outburst and Ellie Gray's testimony was shown.

Syd winced, unable to hide her emotion. Thankfully, she was out of Mia's eye-line. Syd was surprised to see Mia watching the report so closely.

"Stephanie Tate rocked the entire Chamber with her outrage which was not only cast upon former S.P.D. Officer, Ellie Gray but also on Supreme Commander Anubis Cruger himself," Cassidy continued.

Syd watched as Mia's head fell a bit and she turned off the television. After seeing the flatscreen retract back into the wall, Mia turned, noticing Syd standing there.

"How long have you been standing there?" Mia said, looking surprised and nervous.

"Not long," Syd said, with a light smile. "Quite a show."

"Space Patrol Delta...sounds like they have some problems," Mia said, as her eyes appeared shifty.

She had a feeling they were in for more trouble and her boyfriend was going to be the ringleader. She dropped the remote on the coffee table and grabbed her purse.

"You're leaving?" Syd said, as she walked over to Mia near the door.

"Uh, yeah. I should go and let you finish getting ready," Mia said.

"But, we didn't finish our talk," Syd said.

"Some other time," Mia said, as she quickly left.

As the door closed, Syd sighed. She walked back into her bedroom and grabbed her cellphone and dialed out.

"Hey, Z. It's me," Syd said. "Mia just left. She knows something. She wouldn't tell me, but it seems like she wants to. I think if I keep close to her, I can get her to tell me what she knows. I'm sure of it. Okay. I have to go."

Syd ended the call. On the other end, Z closed her cell, knowing she also had to go. She had made her way back to S.P.D. Headquarters quickly & quietly, after losing sight of Piggy near the bus station. But, as she saw a black limo parked a few blocks away from the base, she had hope. She ducked around a corner and watched closely as the back door of the limo opened and Piggy got out, with his sack of clothing. Z caught sight of Prax closing the door, before the limo sped off. Z watched Piggy walk slowly back towards the Delta Command Base. She smiled.

* * *

Back on Andruss III, Quinn entered the small witness waiting room, carrying a cup of water. As he walked in, he saw his mother sitting in a chair, slumped over, with her face resting in her palms. He sat down next to her and put an arm around her.

"Here," he said, as he handed her the cup of water.

Ellie sipped the clear liquid and took a deep breath.

"Thank you," Ellie said, as she looked into Quinn's eyes. "Not just for the water. Thank you for forgiving me."

"You know I can't fight you," Quinn said, with a smile. "You're ten times stronger than I'll ever be."

"I'm not so sure," Ellie said, as she gently rubbed his cheek. "You know the entire time I was up on that stand one phrase kept running through my mind."

"What's that?"

"_Oban Hici_," Ellie said.

"Closer towards the light," Quinn translated with ease.

"You remember," Ellie smiled.

"Of course," Quinn said. "I brushed up on my Fernovian for my last trip. I had that phrase running through my mind a few times myself. I could never forget it. You used to say that to me all the time after you and dad split up."

Ellie grabbed her son into a hug.

"I'm sorry, kiddo," she said. "For so much."

The doors to the waiting room slid open and a surprising face greeted them. Sky nodded to his two guards to wait outside, as they had become used to doing. He stepped in, allowing the doors to slide closed.

"I'm sorry," Sky said to them. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to come here to apologize."

"What your mom did isn't your fault," Quinn said, quickly.

"That's not all I want to apologize for," Sky revealed. "That day in the interrogation room, I was wrong to approach you like that, Ms. Gray. I should have had more respect for an Officer...and my teammate."

Ellie stood up from her chair, as did Quinn. They walked over to Sky.

"I accept your apology, Sky," Ellie said.

"Me too," Quinn chimed in, with a smile.

* * *

Piggy was almost surprised that he had made it all the way back to his room, without any ghostly threats or warnings from beyond the grave. Maybe he had really cleared his head of Z's ghost, he thought. He dropped his cane at the door and threw his sack onto his bed where he began to unpack his clothes, tossing each item back onto the floor where he got them. He found himself pacing around the room, peeking in every corner, even under his bed for some sign of Z. He found none.

He breathed a sigh of relief, as he sat down at his desk and activated his computer terminal. He intended to write another email to Barrett, to tell him of his renewed sense of purpose as it related to carrying out Barrett's plans against Space Patrol Delta. But as Piggy's email account came up on the screen, he saw an ominous reflection through the terminal screen.

It was her.

Piggy closed his eyes, hoping that it was only a minor relapse. He was making himself see things again. He told himself that he just had to take a few deep breaths and it would all be over.

"Welcome back, Piggy," he heard the ghost whisper in his ear, causing him to jump out of his seat like it was on fire.

Piggy practically slammed into the corner, near his doorway.

"It's not over, Piggy!" Z's ghost yelled.

One floor above the haunting, Z Delgado stood on the holographic platform that allowed her to project the image to Piggy.

Piggy slowly slid to the floor, closing his eyes tightly. As the ghost came closer, the only sound that could be heard was Piggy quietly repeating one phrase over and over.

"Sometimes I just hate myself..." Piggy muttered.

* * *

On the other side of the Delta Command Base, Kat Manx entered the main science laboratory, wondering just what she would find inside. As the doors slid open she saw Pryce Jensen sitting behind his desk, glancing at his computer terminal. He looked up and smiled upon seeing her.

"Welcome home," he said.

Kat smirked, as she walked further in, noticing a large metal container, with an LCD pad sitting on top of it. She glanced at the pad and then looked back over at Pryce.

"Deuce is all packed up and ready to go?" she asked.

"Yep," Pryce said, as he turned off his monitor, which was still showing the readouts he had downloaded from Sophie. "It's a shame, though."

"You never know," Kat said, as she placed her authorization code onto the shipping order. "There may be hope for the Delta X Series in the future."

"I'm surprised you're being so optimistic," Pryce said. "Does that mean we're keeping the others?"

Kat glanced over at the three remaining Delta X Series robots.

"For now," Kat said. "But, I don't want them activated without my knowledge. Understood?"

"Your wish is my command," Pryce said, with a smirk.

"I mean it," Kat said.

"I got it. Loud and clear."

"Good," Kat said, with a smirk of her own.

She looked into his deep grayish blue eyes and in that moment, she found herself feeling completely safe in his presence. She couldn't imagine him being a traitor to her, let alone a spy.

* * *

Officer Bridge Carson strolled up to the doors of the Command Center and gave a much-needed stretch. For Bridge, shuttle rides could be rather cramped. He was glad to be back home. He stepped up to the doors and they slid open. Bridge was surprised to see that the room was empty, except for one lone technician working from the main control console in the center of the room. He smiled at her.

"You're back," Sophie said. "How was the hearing?"

"In a word – bad," Bridge said, as he joined Sophie at the main control console. "Seems pretty quiet in here. You working alone?"

"Yeah," Sophie said, as she pulled her exposed arm closer to Bridge, showing him that she was 'plugged' into the main control console. "Don't worry. I'm monitoring every station from here. I just didn't feel much like resting."

"I can understand that," Bridge said, as he looked around. "Still, isn't it kinda lonely?"

"I'm okay being by myself," Sophie said. "I like to listen to the subtle sounds of the systems when no one else is around."

Bridge watched Sophie close her eyes and raise her head a bit, as she listened.

"Well, I don't really feel like being by myself," Bridge said. "You mind if I join you?"

With her eyes still closed, Sophie answered.

"Of course I don't mind."

"Cool," Bridge said, as he took a seat on the floor, crossing his legs and closing his eyes as well.

As the humanoid silence once again filled the Command Center, Sophie still knew she wasn't alone. She smiled.

* * *

Deep on the East Side of Newtech City, Mia Storm closed the front door to Barrett's mansion, after she entered. She wasn't surprised to see no lights activated on the ground floor. She knew Barrett was no doubt still at the club and Consuela was probably already asleep, given her early schedule. Mia bypassed the kitchen and living room, heading for the staircase in the rear of Barrett's rec room. As she passed through the archway, she felt someone grip her arms and press her against the wall near the bathroom. It was Lady Vishus.

"What are you doing?" Mia said, angrily.

"Warning you," Vishus said, as she got extremely close to Mia.

If she had come any closer to Mia, their faces would have smashed together.

"Let go of me," Mia said, nervously, but Vishus was much stronger and more athletic than she was and there was no way she could break her grip alone.

"Not until I'm finished," Vishus said. "There's something I need to make very clear to you, Mia. You're not untouchable."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you and this nonsense with your daughter," Vishus said, slyly. "I wouldn't bring that up to Barrett again. He's busy enough and he doesn't need your drama."

"Barrett doesn't pay you to assess his needs," Mia said, as she felt Vishus grip her even tighter.

"He pays me to protect him...from all obstacles," Vishus said. "So I suggest you stop making yourself into one. Because if you continue on this path, I'll be forced to remove you from the equation...and your daughter too."

Vishus leaned in slightly closer, planting a light kiss on Mia's cheek.

"Don't let your next be the kiss of death," Vishus said, as she sauntered off towards the front door.

As Mia heard the door close behind her, she finally took a breath, as the tears began to pour from her eyes. She was left crushed once again. She had no idea what she could do to fix her current situation. Mia knew that something nefarious was going on with Barrett, but she also knew that she needed him to get her daughter back. But, if he had no intention of helping her, what did she have to lose?

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

"**Maneuvers"**  
_Barrett tries to get closer to Syd, which has Lady Vishus  
trying to drive a wedge between Syren & Mia. Supreme  
Commander Cruger gives heated testimony before the Council.  
Piggy seeks Dr. Sevarus's help with his mental issues. Later, Sam  
makes a startling discovery. Representative Doherty reveals to  
Cruger that a guilty verdict for Sky could mean more than a  
prison sentence. Bridge & Quinn testify in Sky's hearing._


	8. Maneuvers

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

"MANEUVERS"

The hearing of S.P.D. Officer Sky Tate had become a lot like a chess game. There were two sides, fighting for domination, each looking to protect a powerful entity in the middle. For one side, that entity was comprised of the principles of Space Patrol Delta. For the other side, that entity was Earth's Red Ranger. Like any chess match, there were shifts in momentum and power. Each move led both sides closer to the finish. Time, like chess pieces, begin to fade away from the playing field. But there was one mind that looked to finally maneuver herself into a winning position. For Isinia Cruger, it was time to ensure the protection of Sky Tate and remove momentum from her opponent.

"You just have to relax and answer truthfully," Isinia said, as she glanced at Quinn Gray, who was seated at the large steel table inside the anteroom, adjacent to the Galactic Council Chamber.

Quinn sat, gently rocking from side to side, as he glanced at the LCD pad in his hands.

"I don't know why you want me to testify, especially after what happened with my mom," Quinn said, as he finally looked up at Sky's advocate. "Besides, you're gonna ask me about last year and if I'm supposed to answer honestly, it won't make Sky look too good."

"Quinn, it'll be all right," Isinia replied, as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You already have a list of the questions I'm going to ask. It's important that the Council gets the full story. I'm confident that after you and Bridge testify, they'll have a better idea of what Sky's like."

"Yeah," a muffled voice spoke up from the opposite side of the table.

Isinia and Quinn both slowly looked across the table to see Bridge Carson stuffing himself, as he sat in front of a plate of toast. After watching him dispose of his latest slice, Isinia sighed.

"Must you eat all of that now? I don't want one my witnesses vomiting up his very late breakfast on the opposing advocate," she said.

"Sorry," Bridge said. "I eat when I'm excited. Besides, it's just toast. Want some? It's really buttery."

Isinia gave Bridge a quick nod, declining his offer. Not even her pregnancy could tempt her to try it. As he saw Bridge wiggling his fingers, Quinn shook his head.

"How can you be excited? You've seen what Obla Grutton can do. He's gonna try to tear us apart just like he did with Kat and my mom," Quinn said.

"I'm looking forward to it!" Bridge said, with a smile, as a bit of melted butter drizzled down his chin.

As he wiped his face with his gloved hand, he got an idea.

"You know, maybe while he's questioning me, my glove could accidentally fall off and I could read his aura. I bet that would be interesting to see," Bridge said, as he stared off.

Isinia shrugged, as she looked back at Quinn.

"You're the _least_ of my worries, Quinn," she said, as she looked back at Bridge and became more nervous about how the day might unfold.

In the main hallway on that floor of the Galactic Council Center, Supreme Commander Anubis "Doggie" Cruger pressed forward. He turned a corner and spotted Sky Tate, standing against a wall. Cruger was curious as he noticed Sky seemed to be staring at the two guards assigned to track his movements. Cruger took up a position next to Sky and leaned his head towards him.

"You're staring awfully hard," Cruger whispered to Sky.

"Just imagining what it would be like to have guards around me permanently," Sky said with a sigh.

"You can't think like that," Cruger said. "There's still a ways to go with the hearing."

"I don't want to sound ungrateful because you and Isinia have done so much to help me," Sky replied. "It's just so hard not to think about the possibility that I could be headed to prison."

"I understand," Cruger said. "And I can't tell you not to think about it. All I can tell you is that I will do everything in my power to make sure you don't."

"Thanks," Sky said to his superior officer.

As Sky's gaze finally left his security detail, the sound of hard-soled leather boots could be heard getting louder. Given his keen hearing, Cruger glanced down the long hallway, immediately spotting the approaching member of the Galactic Council. Earth's representative, Alaina Doherty walked up to the two.

"Good morning, Supreme Commander, Officer Tate," she said, politely bowing.

"Good morning," Cruger replied.

"Good morning," Sky chimed in.

"May I speak with you alone, Supreme Commander?" Doherty asked.

Cruger was a bit surprised at the request, but nodded in agreement. Sky nodded over to his security guards.

"I will see you inside the Chamber," Sky said to Cruger, before nodding to Representative Doherty.

After watching Sky depart, Alaina Doherty glanced around, making sure that the hallway wasn't very crowded.

"What's on your mind?" Cruger asked.

"I thought you should know that during our last Council meeting, things got rather tense," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"The hearing has raised some questions about the management of S.P.D. Earth," Doherty revealed. "Some on the Council have begun discussion of possibly taking action, once Officer Tate's hearing has ended."

"Taking action?" Cruger repeated, looking troubled.

"It was only mentioned in passing," Doherty said. "But, if Officer Tate is found guilty, the Council may decide to intervene regarding S.P.D. Headquarters and the Academy on Earth."

Cruger grumbled.

"I don't like the sound of that," Cruger said.

"I understand the way you feel," Doherty said. "Don't forget I also have a vested interest in Earth. Hopefully, Officer Tate will be found innocent of the charges. If he is, there will be nothing to worry about."

"There's always something to worry about, Alaina," Cruger said, as he glanced at her, showing his frustration. "You wouldn't have told me if you weren't concerned."

"I can't argue with that," Alaina said, as she turned to leave. "Good luck with your testimony today."

Cruger watched her walk away and with each passing moment he became more worried about the future of Space Patrol Delta.

* * *

Inside the S.P.D. Infirmary on Earth, Dr. Shivan Sevarus tended to his youngest patient. As he finished up Sam's physical, he glanced at the large LCD panel on the wall above his computer terminal. 

As Sevarus keyed in the final results, Sam sat on an examination bed behind him, looking extremely bored. He raised his right hand and began forming a fist repeatedly.

"So, is my hand okay?" Sam asked, as he hopped off the examination bed and walked over to Sevarus, glancing over his shoulder at the computer terminal. "It's still all tingly."

Sevarus turned in his chair, blocking Sam's view of the monitor.

"Your hand will be just fine," Sevarus said. "I believe the tingling sensation you're feeling is coming from the fact that you're getting older. Your genetic abilities are growing with you. It's a simple side effect. I'm sure the Rangers went through the same thing when they were your age."

"Well, they're not really around to talk to these days. How do I make it stop?"

"I'm sure it will go away in time. You can't control puberty, Sam," Sevarus said, as he patted the twelve year old on the head.

Sam winced, at feeling the Divalian's large hand touching his head, as if he were a pet. It appeared to him that puberty may have been changing his body, but not the mindset of those around him. That upset him more than a tingling hand ever could.

"It might help if you limited the use of your genetic power," Sevarus said, as the doors to the Infirmary popped open and a frantic alien rushed in.

Piggy hobbled in with his cane, much like an elderly human man running for his life.

"Doc, you gotta help me!" Piggy said, desperately, as he grabbed Sevarus by the arms.

"Piggy, what's wrong?" Sevarus asked.

Sam took a few steps away from the two, but never took his eyes off Piggy. His strange behavior lately had left Sam curious and troubled. He had no idea why Piggy had become so erratic. For a while, Sam figured that was just the way Piggy was. After all, he didn't know him very well. But they both shared a bond with Z Delgado and Sam knew that Z would never befriend someone this unstable. It was his faith in Z that made Sam want to know what was causing Piggy's shifts in temperament.

"It's—it's all—wrong!" Piggy stammered.

"What's all wrong?" Sam asked, quietly.

As Sevarus was in the process of helping Piggy sit down on an examination bed, he kept trying to calm Piggy. Their interaction muffled the sound of Sam's voice. He moved closer to the bed.

"What's all wrong, Piggy?" Sam asked again, louder.

"I—can't—can't do this anymore!"

Sevarus grabbed a scanner from his desk and glanced over at Sam.

"Sam, excuse us. I need to examine Piggy," Sevarus called to him.

"But I—"

"Sam, we need privacy, now," Sevarus said, more sternly.

Sam cut his eyes at Sevarus before storming out of the Infirmary. He didn't go far, however. After the doors slid shut behind him, Sam stepped to the side of the door and sighed. He knew he wouldn't be able to hear anything through the thick walls. He raised his right hand to his eyes.

"Sorry, Doc, but this ain't the time to limit the use of my genetic ability."

With the wave of his hand, Sam teleported himself back into the Infirmary. As he materialized behind an examination bed, he was already crouched on the floor, out of the sight of both Piggy and Sevarus.

"Calm down, Piggy," Sevarus said, warmly, as he scanned Piggy.

"You don't understand!" Piggy shouted.

"What? What don't I understand?" Sevarus asked.

"I think I'm going crazy!"

Sam's face contorted as he processed what Piggy was saying.

"Well, your stress levels are through the roof," Sevarus revealed, as he studied the results of the scan. "Still, I highly doubt dementia is the culprit. Your brain wave patterns are fine."

"What about my eyes? Are they fine?" Piggy said, nervously.

"Your eyes?"

"I'm seeing things…I think," Piggy said, under his breath.

Sam looked troubled.

"Seeing things?" Sevarus asked the question Sam wanted to. "Like what?"

Piggy sighed, as he began to regain his senses.

"Nothing…I'm just—I'm not sleeping very well," Piggy said.

"Hmm, your pupils are a bit weary," Sevarus said, as he took a closer look.

Being afraid of ghosts makes it tough to get your beauty rest, Piggy thought.

"I really need to sleep," Piggy said.

"You're having nightmares?"

More like night terrors, Piggy thought.

Sevarus leaned him down on the examination bed.

"I'll prescribe a sleep aide for you. For now, why don't you just rest here," Sevarus said

"All right," Piggy said, his eyes closed before his head hit the pillow.

Sevarus went back to his computer terminal to pull up Piggy's records, as the alien fell asleep. Several beds away from Piggy, Sam sat, wondering what had Piggy spooked and how he could find out.

* * *

On the other side of the Delta Command Base, Commander Kat Manx sat in her office, looking over the report which Doctor Pryce Jensen had just handed her. She let out a troubling sigh. 

"I can't believe you haven't cracked this message yet," Kat said, as she looked over at Pryce, who was standing in front of her desk.

"I've spent every available minute trying. Whoever sent it did a heck of a job with the encryption," Pryce explained.

"Maybe I should take a look at it," Kat said.

"With all due respect, I'm pretty good at this sorta thing," Pryce said, slyly.

"Well, with all due respect, I'm _very_ good at this sort of thing," Kat said back, with a wink.

"You're gonna turn this into a competition? I thought we were trying to catch a spy," Pryce said, more seriously.

"We are trying to catch a spy," Kat said, annoyed. "That's why I need to see that message, Pryce. If you're not going to get it for me, then I'll have to get it myself. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to prepare for my meeting with B-Squad."

"Yes ma'am," Pryce said, as he walked over to the doors.

As they slid open, he turned back to Kat.

"I'll keep working on it," Pryce said. "I'll see you in the Command Center."

After his departure, Kat began to slowly pace around the room. The message couldn't be that difficult to decrypt. Her confidence in Pryce Jensen was beginning to wane, she thought. It was a sad fact that she wanted to ignore, but she knew that she couldn't afford to do that. There was a spy within the walls of Space Patrol Delta. There was someone sending secret messages from inside her base. Kat knew that the identity of that person needed to be found and she couldn't afford to overlook any suspect.

Inside the shared quarters of B-Squad cadets Duc Sato and Boom, Duc found himself alone, as he stared at the computer terminal on his desk. The message he was in the process of reading troubled him. A deep frown decorated his face at that moment. He let out a deep breath as he read on.

Then, the doors to his room slid open. Without knowing who had entered, Duc immediately shut down his terminal, knowing that his message would be saved and waiting for him after his visitor had left. He glanced over his shoulder to see that the entrant was his roommate. Duc cut his eyes at Boom before turning back to his blank screen. He knew he looked silly sitting there staring at a black screen, but he wanted Boom to know he was upset. That message was received.

"So you're still mad?" Boom said, nervously.

Duc was silent.

"I just told Kat the truth," Boom said. "I don't understand why you're upset and why you keep hiding things from me."

Duc turned in his chair, frowning. He stood up and walked over to Boom, staring him in the eyes.

"Maybe because it's none of your business," Duc replied.

Boom gave him a disappointing sigh, as the doors to their room slid open once again. The occupants of the room across the way entered. B-Squad cadets Casey Parker and Meg Thurman immediately sensed the tension in the room. Neither of them looked happy either, as they walked over, completing a circle of the B-Squad Rangers in the middle of the room.

"We're a team," Boom said, still focused on Duc.

"Some team!" Meg called out, staring at Boom, who gave her a confused look. "You ratted out a team member!"

"I didn't _rat out_ anybody!" Boom shouted, as he glanced at her. "I didn't know there was any secret. Commander Manx asked me about being on Level 4 the day they discovered that message. I told her why I was there."

"Well, she's got more questions," Meg said, annoyed at Boom.

Casey, who had been quietly observing the group, looking for some way to calm all of the anger in the room, nodded her head.

"It's true," she added. "Commander Manx wants to see all of us in the Command Center."

"Good job, Boom," Meg said, sarcastically.

"Why are you blaming me?" Boom said. "Duc's the one keeping secrets."

"I can see why he would," Meg said, coming to her teammate's defense. "You clearly can't be trusted. We welcomed you to B-Squad and the first chance you got, you broke that trust."

Boom threw his hands up in frustration.

"I told her the truth!" Boom shouted. "What's so wrong with that?"

"There's nothing we can do about it now," Casey chimed in. "We can't let this tear our team apart."

As silence invaded the room, no one moved an inch…until Duc walked towards the doors. After they slid open, he glanced back at each of his three teammates, ending on Boom.

"We should go," he said.

* * *

On the top floor of Barrett Van Tigue's mansion, Lady Vishus emerged from her bedroom, a decidedly dark place. Even as the doors were opened, it appeared that the entire room behind her was pitch-black. As she closed the door to her room, planting her bare feet on the carpeted flooring of the hallway, she had her eyes focused on the room at the end of the hallway. 

With a leather boot in each hand, she got to the door and knocked. After trying three times, she placed both shoes into one hand and opened the old style door. She peeked her head in and huffed.

"Consuela?" she called out, loudly.

As she opened the door completely, she saw that Barrett Van Tigue's housekeeper was not in her bedroom. The place was spotless, as always. Vishus sneered.

"I swear that woman is never around when you need her," Vishus grumbled under her breath, as she closed the housekeeper's door and began slowly walking down the hallway towards the stairs.

Vishus often used Conseula's services for herself, as a resident of Barrett's home. She had scuffed her favorite boots while dropping Barrett off at an early morning meeting. She had hoped that Consuela might give them a good polish before she had to depart. As Vishus got to the staircase, she heard two muffled voices coming from downstairs. Consuela may have been gone, but it appeared that Mia was still there.

Lady Vishus quietly descended the staircase, helped along by her bare feet. As she got to the bottom of the staircase, she glanced through the recreation room, through the archway and saw Mia sitting on a couch, next to Syren Dean, nibbling on muffins and drinking coffee. When she noticed they weren't smiling, she didn't bother to interrupt. She did, however, open her ears to their conversation.

"I really need to back off of this," Mia told Syren. "It's getting more complicated than I ever imagined."

Sydney Drew looked back at her breakfast mate, as she sipped her coffee. Mia had still not completely confided in her about what she knew about Barrett. But, Syd wasn't giving up.

"Mia, I hate to say this, but from what you've told me, you really need to put yourself first. You've been sitting on the sidelines, wishing and hoping that one day Barrett will give you what you want," Syd explained. "You can't wait forever."

"I know," Mia said, sadly. "You're right. I care about him. I really do. I just don't know what more I can do. Vishus is pressuring me not to ask Barrett to help with Anna anymore and Barrett…"

As Mia's voice trailed off, Syd sensed that she wanted to tell her more.

"What?" Syd asked.

"He's just involved with other things," Mia said, as her eyes dropped away from Syd's.

Syd placed her coffee mug on the table in front of them and mustered a smile. She grabbed Mia's free hand with her own.

"If you want my advice, I say keep your ears open," Syd said, hoping Mia listened. "If Barrett is involved with something dangerous, you can't hide your head in the sand. Whatever it is will have a ripple effect and you could find yourself caught up in it too."

"I know," Mia said, sadly.

"If Barrett brings you down with him, I can guarantee you that you'll have no hope of ever seeing your daughter again," Syd said, sincerely. "So maybe it's time you started thinking more about your goals and how to accomplish them…however you can."

Mia stared into Syd's eyes and she nodded, appearing to believe in what Syd was saying. As the blond-haired undercover S.P.D. Officer gave Mia a reassuring smile, she hoped that she had nudged Mia in the right direction.

Meanwhile, not far away, another woman had been listening to their exchange. Lady Vishus, however, was not smiling and didn't feel reassured. Her nudging of Mia to drop the issues with her daughter hadn't stopped Mia from continuing her efforts. It was at that moment that Vishus realized she needed to change tactics. Perhaps her best target wasn't Mia after all.

* * *

On Andruss III, news traveled fast. The hearing of Sky Tate was definitely considered major news. Given its controversial nature, seats in the gallery of the Galactic Council Chamber had become hard to come by. Today was no different. Every seat was occupied, except for a few in the first row behind Sky Tate's advocate table. The only occupants seated there were Bridge Carson and Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger. There was someone missing from their group. They watched Quinn Gray on the witness stand, as Isinia stood before him. 

"Officer Gray, you served with Sky Tate for a year after you became Green Ranger," Isinia started. "A lot of the…drama between you two has already been revealed here. With that said, can you tell us why you chose to stay on the team, given your differences with Sky?"

Quinn took a deep breath as he glanced at Sky. The two had come to an understanding recently, but Quinn remembered that at this time last year, they genuinely hated each other.

"Sky and I didn't get along," Quinn said, as he glanced at the Council Representatives, seated on the altar to his right. "But, I knew the kind of leader he was. He came through when we needed him."

"Even after you learned that you were half-brothers and things became more strained, you never even mentioned your quarrels with your superiors, did you?" Isinia asked.

"No," Quinn spoke with certainty. "Like I said, I knew it would weaken the team if either one of us left. Trust me when I say that against Omallix, we couldn't afford that."

Isinia smiled to herself. Quinn was doing well, she thought. She glanced briefly at the Council altar and the Representatives, along with President Cali, all looked to be exhibiting positive body language towards Quinn. Isinia pressed on.

"Of course you were present the day that Omallix was destroyed. Can you tell us the circumstances, as you witnessed them?"

Quinn took another deep breath, as he began to feel his nervousness rising.

"We thought it was over after we saw Omallix's base destroyed. But, it wasn't," Quinn explained. "He burst out and caught us all off-guard. We tried to coax him away from the civilians that were in the area. He fought us so hard. He was so powerful that we were no match, even all together in S.W.A.T. mode."

Isinia nodded, letting Quinn know he should continue. The Green Ranger couldn't help but look over her shoulder. He saw Obla Grutton sitting at his advocate's table in the distance, taking diligent notes. That made him more nervous.

"We were losing," Quinn said. "Sky took him on alone, but not even he was enough. Omallix struck him down and he turned on the crowd of innocents. The rest of us managed to get between him and the crowd. His lightning blast was so powerful that it completely drained us of our powers."

Quinn's earnest glance seemed to affect the Council, Isinia thought as she glanced at the altar again.

"Sky was the only one left," Quinn said. "Nothing we tried had worked. Even our genetic powers were no use. We barely distracted Omallix long enough for Sky to use the battlizer. Omallix would have killed everyone."

At that moment Obla Grutton raised an objecting hand.

"Officer Gray has no idea what Omallix would or would not have done," Grutton said.

President Cali agreed, as he turned to his assistant, the green alien female, Tawke, who was seated behind him at a computer terminal, transcribing the events taking place.

"Strike that portion of Officer Gray's testimony, Tawke," Cali ordered.

With a simple nod, she had already deleted it.

"Continue, Advocate Cruger," Cali called out to Isinia.

She nodded, knowing she had a thin line to walk now.

"Do you regret being on a team with Sky Tate?" Isinia asked, quickly.

"Not at all," Quinn answered just as quickly, with a nod to Sky. "Sky ended a nightmare the day he destroyed Omallix."

"Thank you," Isinia said, as she took her seat, passing Grutton, who was still frantically writing in notes on his LCD pad.

For the next few seconds, the only thing that could be heard in the chamber was Isinia slowly easing her pregnant body into her chair. After a few more moments, Grutton stood up and advanced towards Quinn, who couldn't push his nerves aside at that moment.

"Officer Gray, I would like to begin by applauding you," Grutton said, proudly.

Quinn looked confused.

"After all that I've learned about Officer Tate's behavior in the last year, it amazes me that you stand by his side, even now. This is a man who disowned his own father because he had an affair that gave you life," Grutton said. "You are a better soul than I."

Quinn simply stared at Grutton, as he began to get a bit annoyed at Grutton's sarcastic tone.

"You called Omallix's actions a nightmare," Grutton read from his LCD pad. "It must have been particularly hard for you. After all, weren't you the one who released Omallix in the first place?"

Quinn felt his jaw beginning to drop. The uneasiness within him grew and he became visibly nervous and angry.

"I made a mistake. One that I'm still paying for," Quinn said, frowning. "I lost my best friend because of that mistake."

"So, I'm sure you can understand Officer Tate's emotional state, given your personal attachment to this criminal?" Grutton asked.

"Of course," Quinn said. "I sympathize with Sky. If he hadn't destroyed Omallix, who knows how far things may have gone."

"All because of you, correct?" Grutton snapped back.

"What?"

"You released Omallix. In the end, Officer Tate destroyed him. He relieved you of your sin. Isn't that right?" Grutton pressed Quinn.

"I don't understand what you're getting at," Quinn said, as he nervously looked to the Council.

"Isn't it a lot easier to stand by Officer Tate now, despite your past? I'm sure you'd hate to see him locked away for cleaning up your mess. Isn't that right?" Grutton said, in an accusatory tone.

"That's not why I'm up here!" Quinn said, angrily.

"No further questions," Grutton said, turning his back on Quinn, who seemed to get angrier at Grutton's disrespect.

"That's NOT why I'm here!" Quinn shouted.

Isinia looked back at the Council Representatives at that moment. She sighed, as she noticed their body language had changed, given Quinn's anger. She turned, giving Grutton a cold stare.

* * *

Sophie considered herself a student of human nature. She had spent years observing humans in order to help blend into society after her creation. The only support she could find was from those that looked like her, even if they didn't share all of the same internal parts. As she matured, she found it much easier to read human behavior. As she glanced at the four members of B-Squad, she knew there was definite conflict between them. She often wondered if it was as easy to see to other non-humans. She was about to find out. 

The doors to the Command Center slid open and Commander Kat Manx walked in, passing the four B-Squadders, as they all stood at attention, with their arms folded behind their backs. Kat took up a position behind the main control console, passing Sophie and Pryce, who were working at the two stations on the left side of the room. On the right side of the room, the technicians, Ghiren & Niyako were diligently monitoring their own stations. Kat, however, had her eyes on B-Squad.

"I'm sure you all know by now that we've had a security breach on Level 4," Kat said to them. "Someone accessed Boom's former quarters and used a computer terminal to send a coded message that we haven't been able to decrypt…"

Kat paused for only a moment to look at Pryce Jensen.

"…yet," she finished. "Now, I understand B-Squad was on Level 4 the day we discovered the message. Level 4 is reserved for department heads and visiting guests. Anyone want to tell me what B-Squad was doing there?"

Kat already got an answer from Boom, but she was curious to hear from the other members of the team. Kat watched as B-Squad's Green Ranger sighed.

"We were taking a shortcut, Commander," Casey said. "We were headed for a training session on the Academy grounds."

"I see," Kat said, seriously.

"It was _Boom's_ idea," Meg said, sarcastically.

Boom's blank expression morphed into a frown.

"I thought it would be a neat thing to show the girls my old room," Boom explained. "I didn't think there would be any harm."

"But we never got that far," Casey chimed in.

"Oh?" Kat offered.

"We ran into Duc," Casey said. The hesitation in her voice was obvious.

"Why weren't you with your team, Cadet Sato?" Kat asked, casting her glance squarely on Duc.

"I was ill that morning," Duc said, as he looked up at Kat. "But I started to feel better, so I figured I should join them. I didn't want to let the team down."

"How did you know they were on Level 4?" Kat asked.

Sophie smiled to herself, as she had been wondering that same thing. She couldn't help but hear the exchange happening behind her. She knew that Pryce, Ghiren & Niyako couldn't either.

"I used the computer terminal in my quarters to pinpoint their location," Duc said, after a moment of silence.

"Well that's easy enough to check out," Kat said, as she glanced to her left at Ghiren standing at the tracking station. "Ghiren, check the scan logs on Cadet Sato's terminal and confirm that for me."

"It will take a few moments, Commander," Ghiren responded.

The green alien's fingers grazed the buttons at his station. Kat nodded, as she turned her attention back to B-Squad.

"We didn't mean to do anything wrong," Casey spoke up.

"Yeah," Boom chimed in, reiterating his involvement in the incident. "I just thought it would be a faster route. It's my fault we were there."

Meg glanced at Boom, surprised to hear him taking the blame.

"But…," she said. "Boom didn't send any message. None of us did. We got the call about the Rangers needing us on Fernovia a minute after we ran into Duc. We were together the whole time."

"Except for Cadet Sato," Kat added, as she stared straight at B-Squad's Yellow Ranger.

"I didn't send that message," Duc said.

Standing next to him, Boom was still troubled by Duc's recent secrecy. However, he wanted to believe his roommate.

"Commander," Ghiren called out from his station.

Kat glanced over at him.

"You found something?" Kat asked.

"According to my scan, Cadet Sato did access his terminal on the day in question. It was used to pinpoint the location of B-Squad," Ghiren revealed.

Kat nodded.

"Thank you," she said, as she turned back to face B-Squad. "Whoever sent that message is under grave suspicion. No one has come forward and that leads me to believe that something is going on. If there is a spy inside S.P.D. Earth, I'm going to find out who it is. So I'm asking you all right now – Is there anything that you're not telling me?"

Casey, Meg, Boom and Duc exchanged brief glances between them, before they all looked back at Kat.

"No ma'am," the four said at the same time.

"You're dismissed," Kat said.

As she watched the four members of B-Squad exit the Command Center, Pryce joined her at the main control station. He sighed.

"You believe them?" he asked.

"I believe that B-Squad hasn't been compromised," Kat said, as she kept looking forward. "How's the decryption coming?"

"There's a program I haven't tried yet. It's experimental, but it may allow me to gain access to the original message. I'm heading to my lab now," Pryce said.

After receiving a nod from Kat, he departed. After the doors slid closed behind him, Kat glanced over at Ghiren and Niyako. Both had their eyes fixed on their consoles. Kat then walked over to Sophie and stood close to her.

"Commander?" Sophie said, knowing Kat wasn't just observing.

"Sophie, I need you to do me a favor," Kat said. "Pryce is having trouble decrypting that message. I want you to take a look at the computer terminal and see if you can decrypt it."

"Okay," Sophie said. "I'd be glad to help."

"I don't want Pryce to know you're working this," Kat said, sternly.

Sophie gave Kat a troubled glance, but she didn't ask any questions.

"Yes, Commander."

Without another word, Kat exited the Command Center. Sophie watched her leave. It appeared to Sophie that Kat's years on Earth had caused her to adopt many human qualities. Being a student of human nature, Sophie was certain that Kat gave her this assignment for one reason. Kat didn't trust Pryce Jensen.

* * *

Syd hadn't spent much time in Barrett Van Tigue's office inside the Purgatory Lounge. It always made her uncomfortable to be there, especially when Barrett was around. An early covert security sweep of the lounge had turned up no sign of video equipment inside the office. However, Syd knew that if Barrett was as smart and crafty as she suspected, there still might be some surveillance going on there. That was another reason for her hesitation in sneaking a look into his office. 

This time, however, her visit was announced. She had asked to see Barrett and was now just waiting for him to arrive. She resisted the urge to peek at Barrett's computer or glance inside his desk drawers.

As Syd shifted a bit in her seat, she heard the creak of the wooden door behind her. She turned her head a bit, as the door opened and Barrett's head appeared. She was forced to convey a smile, as she saw him do the same. Barrett came in, appearing to be in a rush. He shut the door and removed his black blazer as he walked over to the chair behind his desk and dropped the blazer there.

"Sorry my meeting ran late," Barrett said.

He wore a dark gray dress shirt and black tie. Syd watched him unbutton the top button of his shirt and loosen his tie, as he sat on his desk, directly in front of her.

"I heard you wanted to see me. What's up? You're not abandoning Purgatory for Hollywood are you?" Barrett said, with a grin.

Syd forced another smile.

"No. Actually, it's not about me. It's about Mia," Syd said.

She watched Barrett's body language closely as she spoke. He seemed to take a deep breath when he heard that.

"She's been irritated lately. I noticed," he said.

"She's worried about getting her daughter back," Syd said. "I don't blame her."

"It's a complicated situation," Barrett said, "I've got a lawyer working on it. I'm just not sure how to help Mia stay patient."

Syd stood up and walked closer to Barrett, giving him a serious glance.

"Mia doesn't want to be patient. She wants her daughter. You're in a position to help her. Why aren't you?" Syd said, crossing a line she was sure Cruger would have warned her not to.

Barrett met Syd's eyes and saw the fire in them. He couldn't help but admire that. His hands rose slightly, grazing Syd's bare arms. At that moment, she regretted wearing a sleeveless blouse.

"You two really have gotten close, haven't you?" Barrett said.

"You didn't answer my question," Syd pressed on.

"Like I said, it's complicated," Barrett said, practically whispering.

One of Barrett's hands was now touching Syd's arm.

"I have other priorities, including my business. I'm doing the best I can," Barrett said.

"What's going to happen if Mia loses her daughter?" Syd asked.

"Syren, I don't know what you want me to say."

"I want you to say you'll help Mia get her daughter back. If you can't do that, you should let her go," Syd said, putting a lot on the line.

She knew that if Barrett did let Mia go, she would lose a major link she had to Van Tigue. But, as a friend of Mia's, she felt she had to do something. Syd decided not to pull herself away from Barrett's grasp. She couldn't afford to show any weakness at that moment.

"I'll call my lawyer," Barrett said, giving her a grin.

"Thank you," Syd said, faking a smile.

"Mia's lucky to have you as her champion," Barrett said, as he caressed her arm a bit tighter.

At that moment, Syd pulled away from him.

"I have to go. Thanks again for listening," Syd said as she exited Barrett's office.

Once outside the room, she finally felt she could breathe again. She took a deep breath and hoped that she hadn't just made a big mistake.

* * *

"I hope this is the good stuff," Piggy mumbled, as he hobbled through the corridors of Space Patrol Delta Headquarters with his cane, trying to decipher Dr. Sevarus' handwriting on the small pill bottle he had just been given to help him sleep better. 

As he turned another corner, Piggy continued walking, desperately needing and wanting to sleep, even if it was the middle of the day. As he made his way towards his quarters, he had no idea that he was being followed.

At the other end of the corridor behind Piggy, a small pre-teen head peeked around the corner at him. Sam had trailed Piggy since his departure from the Infirmary. Curiosity was killing him. Sam began to creep down the corridor when Piggy stopped. Sam's sneaker squeaked against the metal flooring of the hall, causing Piggy to shake a bit. Sam noticed. As Piggy turned slowly around, Sam teleported out of his sight.

A shaky Piggy, whose eyes were closed tight, could feel every bone in his body starting to shiver.

"Come on, Z," Piggy said, low. "Just leave me alone for a minute…please."

Piggy peeked through one eye and saw that there was no one in the corridor. He finally opened both eyes and let out a deep sigh. He got his body back on course for his room and started on his way once again, looking forward to getting to his own bed and popping a few of Dr. Sevarus' remedy.

Several feet behind him, Sam once again peeked his head around the corner, watching his movement. This time, however, Sam didn't look curious. He looked confused. Once Piggy was out of sight, Sam walked into the open corridor and shook his head.

"Z?" he spoke.

* * *

It had been almost fifteen seconds since Bridge Carson had taken the witness stand inside the Galactic Council Chamber. The room was completely silent. Sky wondered what was wrong. He glanced to his left and noticed his advocate seemed to be staring off. It seemed strange for Isinia to be daydreaming at this moment. 

But Sky didn't know that Isinia wasn't daydreaming at all. She was preparing herself for possible disaster. She didn't know Bridge very well, but she knew his reputation for quirky behavior and off-the-wall antics. If Grutton could tear apart the likes of Kat Manx and Ellie Gray, she had a feeling he would have a field day with Bridge.

"Isinia, you okay?" Sky whispered to her.

Isinia realized that she hadn't moved from her seat since Bridge was called to the stand. She looked up to see that President Cali and the Council Representatives were all staring at her, along with Grutton, who had his LCD pad in hand, ready to take notes for his turn to question Bridge. Isinia took a deep breath and stood up, with a bit of help from Sky. She walked gingerly over to Bridge, who had a big smile on his face.

"Officer Carson, how long have you known Sky Tate?" Isinia opened with an easy one.

"Four years, eight months and twenty-seven days," Bridge said quickly, as he flashed a quick thumb up to Sky.

Isinia tensed up a bit at hearing his exact figure.

"That's a…long time," Isinia said. "I can imagine then that you know him very well. You two were roommates for a few years and have fought on the same team for years. How would you describe Sky?"

"He's smart, strong, extremely dedicated to Space Patrol Delta. He can be intense sometimes but that's because he takes his job very seriously."

"Would you say that was true on the day that Omallix was destroyed?" Isinia asked.

"I think so," Bridge answered honestly, as he appeared to be thinking hard. "It was so intense for everyone. We had been through so much, but Sky proved again that he was the leader we needed to succeed. And, we did, thanks to him."

"So you don't regret the fact that Sky destroyed Omallix?"

"Not at all," Bridge said.

"Thank you, Officer Carson," Isinia said, as she took her seat.

She wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but she knew that would be ill-timed, given the fact that Obla Grutton was already up out of his seat, heading towards the witness stand.

"Officer Carson, you have a lot of nice things to say about Officer Tate and his actions. You mentioned him being extremely dedicated to Space Patrol Delta. Were you including the rules and regulations of S.P.D. when you said that?" Grutton asked.

Bridge, still smiling, moved his head closer to the microphone and spoke louder.

"Yes," he said simply.

His voice, however, boomed so loudly through the speakers planted throughout the room that the every being inside those four walls seemed to jump a bit.

"Officer Carson, please don't speak directly into the microphone," President Cali spoke up.

"I apologize. I just assumed that Advocate Grutton didn't hear me the first time," Bridge said, as he kept his eyes on Grutton.

"Would you agree that Sky Tate didn't obey the rules of S.P.D. when he destroyed Omallix?" Grutton asked, annoyed.

"Hmm," Bridge thought for a long moment. "Yes…and no."

Grutton threw his arms up in frustration.

"Which is it?"

"Well, the rules state that destroying a criminal without judgment or containment is against the rules," Bridge explained. "However, the rule book also says that the use of excessive force is allowed under special circumstances. And since Omallix was an escaped criminal, he had already been judged once before. Not to mention the fact that I think the events of that day would be considered special circumstances."

Isinia almost smiled. She wasn't feeling so nervous about Bridge anymore. Grutton, however, seemed to be getting more annoyed by the moment.

"That addendum is open to interpretation," Grutton said.

"That's my interpretation," Bridge said, nodding earnestly at the Council members.

"Well, I doubt the people of Fernovia take comfort in your interpretation of the rules. Your excessive force there led to the destruction of Ivy Square, didn't it?" Grutton said.

Bridge was caught off-guard by Grutton's attack. Isinia, however, was not.

"That incident has nothing to do with this hearing," Isinia spoke out to President Cali.

"You're right," Grutton said, before the President could respond. "It's just another pattern of bad behavior on S.P.D. Earth."

Hearing that made Doggie shift in his seat, as he glanced at Alaina Doherty, remembering their earlier conversation. Bridge was too busy casting apologetic eyes on Representative Urgundii after Grutton's mention of the Fernovian incident.

"Please stick to the current case, Advocate Grutton," Cali ordered.

"Yes, Mr. President," Grutton said, as he glared back at Bridge. "Officer Carson, you said that Officer Tate took his job as Red Ranger very seriously. But, wasn't it his absence in battle that caused you to lose your right arm?"

Bridge was now upset. He couldn't believe Grutton would bring that up.

"The loss of my arm was my fault, not Sky's," Bridge said, angrily. "Sky was trying to help me. I chose to take off my safety harness to fix a malfunction in my S.W.A.T. Flyer. I told him I was fine, so he proceeded to help the others and I crashed. If anything, that proves that Sky chose to help the majority of his teammates, just like he worked to save the majority of those innocents who Omallix was threatening."

Isinia noticed that Grutton seemed to be getting more off-balance in his cross examination of Bridge as it continued. He paced in front of the Council altar for a few moments, pondering his next move, since nothing seemed to penetrate Bridge.

"You've gotten the chance to experience leadership of a Ranger team, Officer Carson. If you were in Officer Tate's shoes would you have done anything differently?" Grutton asked.

"I would have done my best to save the people who needed protection. That's what S.P.D. does," Bridge said.

"Would you have loaded a containment card into the battlizer cannon?"

"Yes," Bridge said, as he glanced at Sky.

Grutton seemed to take that response as a small victory, as he began to confidently walk back towards his chair. Bridge, however, wasn't finished.

"But…if I had done that, I might not be here today," Bridge added.

Grutton stopped in his tracks and turned to face Bridge.

"What?" Grutton asked.

"It occurs to me that Omallix escaped a containment card once before. So, what would have stopped him from doing it again?" Bridge said, confidently. "Even if Sky had loaded that card, Omallix would have escaped. He may not have escaped that minute or that day, but he would have.

Grutton stared at Bridge for a few seconds, before sitting down.

"Sounds like special circumstances to me," Bridge said nonchalantly, as he glanced at Isinia, giving her a satisfied look.

This time Isinia did smile.

* * *

Inside his quarters, Duc Sato once again found himself glancing at his computer screen. As he studied the message before him, he thought back to the argument he had with his teammates and roommate earlier in the day. He sighed. 

The doors to the room slid open and he quickly turned off the monitor, before Boom could see what he was looking at. Duc turned to face him.

"Don't worry. I'm not staying long," Boom said, with a sad sigh. "I just wanted to grab a towel. I'm going for a run."

"Boom, look," Duc said, as he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I should be thanking you for sticking up for the team in the Command Center."

"I believe in this team," Boom said. "But…I'm not sure you do. If you did, you wouldn't be hiding your computer from me every time I walk in the door."

"Old habit," Duc said. "When C-Squad was at its peak, I roomed alone. There were five of us and there's only space for two in these rooms. Quinn had Darren and Meg had Casey."

"I see," Boom said, still looking troubled.

"They all thought I lucked out, but honestly I never liked being on my own. When my parents died I was so young," Duc explained. "Then, Darren died and Quinn got promoted, so I was alone again."

"I can understand getting used to being alone, but you're hiding something—"

Boom was cut off as the doors to their room slid open and their fellow B-Squad cadets, Meg & Casey walked in. Casey seemed to be pushing Meg into the room.

"Okay. Okay!" Meg said to her.

Meg walked up to Boom and quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry, Boom. I overreacted. I can get a little overprotective of my friends sometimes," Meg said. "Casey helped me realize that I was wrong for lashing out at you."

"Thanks," Boom said.

"Were we interrupting something?" Casey asked, noticing that both Boom & Duc seemed preoccupied.

"Duc and I were just clearing the air," Boom said.

"Actually, I'm glad you're all here," Duc said. "There's something I need to tell you. The reason I've been so freaked about Commander Manx asking questions about the morning I was sick is because…I wasn't sick."

"What are you talking about?" Meg asked, looking surprised.

"I got a message from someone who said they had information about the person who killed my parents," Duc revealed.

His teammates all gave him concerned glances.

"I had to meet him that morning. He warned me that if I told anyone that he would disappear," Duc said.

"What happened when you met him?" Meg asked, curiously.

"Nothing. I waited for him but he never showed," Duc said.

"Duc, why didn't you just tell us this?" Casey said, as she rubbed his arm, sympathetically.

"Because, I just didn't think I could risk it," he replied. "This is so personal and I couldn't throw that all on you guys, especially after I came back and we left for Fernovia."

"I'm sorry you didn't get to talk to him," Boom said.

"Well, that's just it," Duc said, nervously. "He contacted me again this morning. He wants to meet. I wrote him back asking for some proof that he really knew something, especially since he didn't show at the last meeting. He just wrote me back saying that the person who murdered my parents is here, on Earth."

As the news traveled throughout the entire room, all four members of B-Squad felt closer than ever before. One of their own had been struggling with a personal crisis for days and they had no idea. But now that they did, each one of them knew they would do anything they could to help Duc solve his lifelong mystery.

* * *

Lady Vishus entered the Van Tigue mansion in an annoyed huff. As she removed her chauffeur's cap, she glanced back down at her black boots, which now were scuffed and muddy, thanks to an unexpected rain. As she heard the gentle sizzle of cooking food in the kitchen, she walked right in. 

Barrett's housekeeper, Consuela barely paid her any attention, as she had her back to the archway.

"Consuela!" Vishus shouted. "My boots. They need cleaning and shining as soon as possible."

Consuela turned from the stove and glanced down at the boots…and the trail of mud Vishus had just tracked into the room.

"Yes, ma'am," Consuela said, cordially, choosing as always to ignore Vishus. "I'll get to them shortly."

"Real shortly," Vishus added, in her catty tone.

She took the boots off and left them there in the kitchen. Vishus exited the kitchen through the opposite archway which led her into the living room, where she didn't notice Mia sitting on the couch, reading a magazine.

"That's not what she's here for," Mia spoke out.

While her unexpected words didn't startle Vishus, it did surprise her. She stopped and turned to Mia.

"If she has a problem with it, she'll take it to Barrett," Vishus said.

"Maybe that's what I should do too," Mia said, still appearing to read an article inside the pages of the magazine.

"Are you saying we still have a problem?" Vishus said, slyly.

"I don't appreciate your threats. I think you forget that you're an employee around here," Mia said, as she dropped the magazine and stood up to face Vishus.

"Don't flatter yourself. You're only one step away from being an employee yourself," Mia said. "As a matter of fact, I'd say you're only one step away from being…replaced."

Mia couldn't help but chuckle.

"Barrett has no interest in you," Mia said.

"Who said I was talking about me?" Vishus said, with a devilish smile, as she pulled a handheld LCD monitor from her jacket pocket.

She activated the small screen and began pressing a few commands.

"This remote monitor hooks me directly into the Purgatory security systems," Vishus said, as she accessed the security cameras inside Barrett's office there.

Mia looked confused, as video footage played before her eyes, showing Barrett and Syren talking. She watched as Syren stood from her seat and walked closer to Barrett, who began to caress her arms. Mia's jaw dropped a bit, as she saw smiles coming from both of them. There was no sound coming from the video. The moving images, however, were enough to wound Mia.

"Apparently, I'm not the only one you should be worried about," Vishus said.

Mia glanced at her, angrily for only a second, before storming off. Vishus smiled evilly, as she watched her stomp up the staircase.

* * *

The sun hadn't quite begun to set on Newtech City, but one resident was fast asleep within the walls of S.P.D. Headquarters. But Piggy didn't dream these days. One fateful day had forced him into a lifetime of nightmares. Not even the sedatives prescribed by Dr. Sevarus could rid him of his fears…or his nightmares. 

But Piggy was unaware that his nightmares were being monitored. Sam had teleported himself inside of Piggy's room to have a look around, since he figured Piggy had to be sleep by now. But, as Sam looked around trying to find some trace of Z in Piggy's room, he got more than he bargained for, straight from Piggy himself.

"Z!" Piggy yelled in his sleep, causing Sam to jump.

He almost teleported out of the room, until he heard Piggy's snores continuing in between outbursts. He walked into Piggy's bedroom and tried to ignore the stench coming from all four corners of the room. He got closer to the bed, as Piggy continued to snore, throughout his nightmare.

"No…so…sorry...don't!...No! Please!" Piggy continued in his slumber.

Sam crept up to his bedside table where Piggy's cane rested. Sam picked up the small pill bottle. He noticed there were no side effects listed there. Maybe Piggy's dream wasn't an effect of the medication, Sam thought.

"Don't fall!" Piggy yelled, as he turned quickly.

Sam crouched down to the floor. When he noticed he had stooped next to a half-eaten bowl of some sour substance which reeked of mold, he almost scared himself out of the room. But the fact that Piggy had referenced Z, and not falling, made him want to hear more.

_What is Piggy sorry for?_

"No, Z," Piggy moaned. "No. I…sorry. I didn't—"

Sam watched as Piggy tossed in the bed again.

"Didn't mean to…" Piggy fell into a constant snoring pattern.

Sam, however, had heard enough and he had a feeling that he might have heard something more troubling than he ever thought possible.

* * *

Inside her office, Kat stood in front of the shelving unit which stood on the side of the room, opposite her desk. As she glanced at her mementos sitting on one of the shelves, she began to ponder her response to S.P.D. Earth's latest conflict regarding a possible traitor amongst them. 

She glanced at the white morpher that had transformed her into a Ranger on a few occasions. It was now useless. Kat couldn't help but wonder if part of her fighting spirit had dissolved with the power. She couldn't seem to get a handle on who this person could be, despite her training and longevity on Earth.

Her eyes veered away from the morpher and rested on the statue of a roaring lion which was placed next to it. The statue was given to her as a gift from Felix, a friend she often missed these days. Since their days on the planet Lynx, she and Felix were close. She had regretted the fact they drifted apart in the last years before Felix's death. As she locked eyes with that roaring lion she remembered Felix's fighting spirit even as he was held captive by Omallix and Charlie last year.

Kat knew she couldn't rest until she found the answers she was looking for. At that moment, she heard the door chime. She turned her head towards the door.

"Come in."

The doors slid open to reveal Sophie. Kat was surprised to see her so soon. She was even more surprised to see a smile on her face.

"I found something," Sophie said, as she entered and walked towards Kat's desk.

Kat followed her and watched as Sophie sat down at her chair and activated the Commander's computer terminal.

"What is it? Did you decrypt the message?" Kat said, before Sophie could even finish keying in her data.

"No," Sophie said, with a sigh. "But I got a little closer."

Kat watched the green computer screen light up in front of her. She saw the symbolic encryption sequence and as Sophie keyed in a few commands, a few of the sequences began to change from white to red.

"You see these lines of code?" Sophie asked.

"Yes. They look like external message routers," Kat said.

"They are completely untraceable…however," Sophie said, with a grin, as she keyed in a few more commands, causing two smaller strands of code to turn yellow. "They're useless. These two sequences are the message routers. The message's routers aren't external. They're internal."

"So those other sequences were decoys?" Kat said, looking troubled.

"Exactly. They were put there to throw us off-track. While I can't figure out how to bypass the internal routers, these fake external ones revealed a big clue about our spy. The design sequence is classic S.P.D.," Sophie explained as she glanced at Kat.

"You're right. This sequence is extremely out of date," Kat agreed.

"That means whoever sent this message probably used that sequence on purpose, thinking that whoever investigated wouldn't be familiar with it," Sophie said.

"That means that whoever sent the message is familiar with old S.P.D. technology," Kat said, as she shook her head. "That doesn't sound like Cadet Sato."

Kat paced around the desk, looking upset. Sophie noticed.

"What are you thinking?" Sophie asked.

"I'm thinking Pryce should have been able to figure this out," Kat said.

"You don't think he missed it on purpose do you?" Sophie wondered.

Kat didn't answer Sophie's question. Part of her didn't want to reveal her feelings. If she suspected Pryce, which she did, she didn't want anyone to know about it yet.

* * *

Inside the Galactic Council Chamber many had their eyes on Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger as he sat on the witness stand. Isinia had already gone through several questions dealing with Cruger's own history on Earth, establishing his expertise. She was ready to move on to the subject at hand. 

"Supreme Commander, you chose Sky Tate to become Earth's Red Ranger. Why?"

Cruger took a breath, as he glanced at Sky briefly. He then turned his eyes to the Council altar. Cruger had been angered at the thought that the Council might punish the entire planet of Earth for this incident. In fact, the very idea left him disappointed.

"Sky is one of the best officers to graduate from the Academy on Earth," Cruger explained, intentionally bringing up the Academy. "He excelled in every course. He took the lead in training and on missions as a cadet. I knew he was ready for the challenges of leadership."

"You allowed Sky's graduation from the Academy to proceed, despite the charges. Has that opinion changed at all since the day that Omallix was destroyed?" Isinia asked.

"No," Cruger said, seriously. "Sky was meant to be an officer."

"So, it's safe to say that you disagree with the Council's decision to charge him?"

"Yes, I do. As Supreme Commander, I object even more," Cruger revealed. "I have overseen most of the decisions that have impacted Earth. Sky did what was necessary. I don't think anyone on Earth would fault him for it. Space Patrol Delta's Earth station has never been under scrutiny and in my judgment, it shouldn't be now."

It was obvious to anyone on the Galactic Council that Cruger was directing his comments towards them. Alaina Doherty silently sighed, knowing that her earlier conversation with Cruger was now bleeding into his testimony. Cruger wasn't just singing the virtues of Sky, but S.P.D. Earth itself.

"Thank you, Commander," Isinia said, with a wink, as she took her seat.

Obla Grutton stood up from his seat and strolled over to Cruger's position, like a dog salivating over a fresh juicy steak.

"Supreme Commander, would you characterize yourself as a dominant force in the development of S.P.D. on Earth?" Grutton began.

"I have been involved with most aspects of S.P.D. Headquarters on Earth," Cruger replied.

"So, it's safe to say most cadets and officers stationed there take their lead from you?" Grutton wondered.

"I would agree with that statement," Cruger said, carefully.

"So I'm sure it came as no surprise to you when Officer Tate murdered Omallix?" Grutton pressed.

"I was surprised to hear about how the outcome of the battle happened. However, I was not surprised to learn that my—that _the_ Rangers were successful," Cruger said. "They did what was necessary under extreme circumstances."

"Well, that's not exactly what I'm getting at," Grutton said. "I'll ask my question a different way. You yourself are no stranger to rebellion against the rules, are you?"

"I don't know what you're referring to," Cruger said.

"Despite being ordered by your superior, President Cali, not to return to Earth, you did anyway. That was a violation of an order. Wasn't it?"

"I felt that Earth needed me," Cruger said.

"But you still violated a superior's command, didn't you?"

"Yes," Cruger said, finally. "And, I would do it again, if the circumstances were the same."

A few murmurs were heard from the crowd. Cruger glanced at President Cali sitting on the Council altar. He didn't look happy to hear that.

"There are times when it's necessary to do what you feel is right, despite what may be written in a book," Cruger said.

"That is very interesting to hear coming from the Supreme Commander of Space Patrol Delta," Grutton said, sarcastically. "You know it really comes as no surprise that Officer Tate broke the rules, with such a role model as his guide."

Isinia raised an objecting hand.

"My fellow advocate is editorializing again," she spoke out.

"Get to your next question, Advocate Grutton," Cali said.

"While Commander of S.P.D., did you train your cadets to break the rules set forth by your superiors?" Grutton asked.

"No, of course not."

"Then, wouldn't you agree that Officer Tate disobeyed your orders?" Grutton asked.

"I never ordered him not to destroy Omallix," Cruger said, playing Grutton's word game.

"But, you said you don't train your cadets to break the rules. Officer Tate destroyed Omallix in front of dozens of witnesses," Grutton said. "So, he disobeyed your training?"

"Yes, he did," Cruger said, seriously. "However, the circumstances warranted Sky's actions."

"But, you didn't witness those circumstances, did you?"

"No," Cruger said.

"So how can you be so sure?" Grutton asked.

"I know Sky," Cruger said, finally.

"And he knows you," Grutton said, as he headed back to his chair.

Isinia sneered in her seat, knowing that Grutton's final jab at Cruger tied back to his argument that Sky took his lead from Cruger. She just hoped that the Galactic Council didn't make the connection. However, judging from their looks, she knew they had.

* * *

Standing behind the bar inside the Purgatory lounge, Mia Storm was unpacking a few boxes, but her mind wasn't on her job at all. She couldn't get the image of her boyfriend and close friend out of her head. Every time she thought of Barrett touching Syren, she wanted to throw one of the glasses she was unpacking across the room and shatter it, much like she felt her friendship was shattered. 

Then, Syren Dean entered the area, dressed perfectly for her evening performance, which was still a few hours away. Syd's hair was pinned up high above her head, giving her a more glamorous look. She wore a slightly sheer black dress that she was sure would grab the attention of the male patrons this evening. She still wanted Mia's opinion and to see how she was feeling.

"Hey," Syd said with a smile, as she twirled. "What do you think?"

Mia simply stared at her, giving her a blank look.

"Mia?" Syd said, as she frowned herself. "What's wrong?"

When Mia still didn't respond, Syd leaned closer to the bar, making sure no one was around to hear her.

"Did something happen with Barrett?"

"You could say that," Mia said, angrily.

"Talk to me," Syd replied.

"I don't think I want to," Mia said, coldly.

"Why not?"

"Let's just say your dress isn't the only thing I can see through, Syren," Mia snapped at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Syd asked, looking confused.

"I saw you," Mia said, rolling her eyes. "With Barrett this morning. He had his hands all over you. Don't bother denying it."

Syd thought back to her exchange with Barrett in his office. She didn't know how Mia saw it, but she knew that it had just cost her big time.

"Mia, listen. I only went—"

"Shut up, Syren," Mia cut her off quickly. "There's nothing you can say to change the way I feel. But it's not a total loss because I'm gonna follow your advice and accomplish my goals any way I can. That includes dumping fake friends."

Mia stopped her work and stormed out of the main hosting area, leaving Syd hurt and cursing herself. She never noticed Lady Vishus standing outside the lounge, spying on the two. Barrett's bodyguard smiled widely, knowing she had accomplished her goal for the day. As she glanced down at her polished boots, Vishus felt invincible.

* * *

On the other side of town, Doctor Pryce Jensen was busy dealing with his own goals, as the lengthy conversation he had been having was coming to an end. 

"I can't thank you enough for your help," he spoke into his computer terminal.

On the screen, an aging man of Chinese descent smiled back casually.

"It's been my pleasure, Dr. Jensen," Dr. Jiang said. "We received #01222 safe and sound. I still do not understand his malfunction. We haven't experienced anything like this with the other robots."

"It baffled me too, which is why I've continued the research, as a...side project," Pryce said.

"Perhaps Commander Manx could assist you," Jiang said. "With her support on this, we could speed things up."

"Commander Manx is quite busy, as you can imagine," Pryce said, with a smile. "I can handle things myself."

"Our correspondence over the past weeks leads me to believe that's true. In the meantime, I will analyze the robot's systems and compare them with the robots we have here at Vanguard X," Jiang explained. "I'll let you know what I find."

"Thanks, Dr. Jiang, as always," Pryce said with a wink, as he signed off the transmission, apparently just in time.

The doors to the laboratory slid open. Pryce looked up to see Commander Manx enter. As she walked towards his desk, he quickly escaped the Delta X schematics he had pulled up on the screen, behind his transmission box with Jiang. Pryce smiled.

"Commander, this is a surprise," Pryce said.

"I was just coming to check on the progress with the encrypted message," Kat said, simply.

"No progress yet. I'm still working on it," Pryce said.

Kat casually began glancing around the laboratory, looking for anything out of the ordinary. On the other side of the desk, Pryce was busy glancing around, making sure he hadn't left out any traces of his research on the Delta X Series.

"You seem like you're looking for something," Pryce said.

Kat turned back to him, giving him a curious look.

"Is there something I should be looking for?" Kat asked.

"I haven't had dinner yet," Pryce joked.

Kat frowned.

"Is there anything you're not telling me, Pryce? Honestly, you and I have gotten to know each other a bit and if there's something you're hiding, I need to know," Kat said, finally.

"If there was something important that I needed to tell you, you would know it," Pryce said. "Don't you trust me?"

While Kat didn't answer that question, for fear of lying, she did force a polite smile. But in the pit of her stomach, she wondered if she could actually trust this man. She knew from her own experience just how much power and access the Chief of Technology had and if Pryce were as smart as he boasted, she had certainly met her match.

* * *

Elsewhere in the Delta Command Base, Sam couldn't help biting his nails, as he sat nervously on his bed, wondering what he should do about Piggy's ramblings. He couldn't be sure that he heard what he thought he heard, but he was certain that Piggy's nightmares revolved around Z and her fall from the Delta Command Base roof. He also wasn't stupid. He knew Piggy's behavior recently was also connected to Z. All of that led him to a shocking conclusion. 

But, if Sam was right about his suspicions, he had to tell someone. In times like this he always turned to Z, but she wasn't an option. Sam took a deep breath, as he became more uncomfortable by the moment. It was then that he grabbed the framed photograph on his nightstand. He had taken the picture from Z's room days ago.

As he held the frame in his hand, he glanced at the five people in it. He missed Jack too. He had never treated Sam like a kid, which most people at S.P.D. did. His eyes then veered to Syd, standing next to Jack in the picture. Sam had no idea what ever became of Syd after she left S.P.D. months before. Sky, standing in the middle of the photograph, was also not an option since his hearing was still underway on another planet.

Sam sighed, as he looked at Z, standing on the other side of Sky.

"This was all so much easier when you were around," Sam spoke to the photo. "But, if Piggy…I have to do something."

It was then that Sam's eyes rested on the last person in the photograph. It had never occurred to him that there was still one constant within S.P.D. Earth. Sam felt a little bit better, knowing there was one person he could talk to without causing too many alarms to go off. He didn't want Piggy to leave before he could tell someone the truth and there was one person that Sam knew could get to the bottom of Piggy's behavior better than he could. He smiled as he stared at the remaining member of that team in the photograph.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Isinia said, as she walked up to Bridge Carson, standing in the hallway outside the Galactic Council Chamber. 

Most of the bystanders had dispersed after the long day. Even Obla Grutton left quickly. Bridge gave Isinia a troubled look.

"What are you apologizing for?" he asked, with a confused smile.

"I thought having you testify was going to be a disaster, but you turned out to be the strongest witness I could ever call," Isinia said. "I'm sorry for underestimating you."

"Well, it wasn't the first time someone's done that," Bridge said, proudly.

The two shared a smile.

"I guess I have a lot to learn about Bridge Carson," Isinia replied.

"That's not the first time I've heard that either," Bridge said, as the two shared a laugh.

It was then that Isinia noticed Cruger, Quinn and Sky approaching. They joined them in the hallway and Isinia couldn't help observing her husband's tense demeanor.

"It wasn't that bad," Isinia said, as she hugged him.

"It felt pretty bad to me," Quinn chimed in.

"It's not your fault," Sky said, before turning to Cruger. "Or yours. The only reason why we're here is because of me. Ultimately, the only person who can save me is me."

"I hate to say it," Cruger said, as he turned back to Sky. "But there's more to it than that."

"What do you mean?" Sky asked.

"The Council is contemplating taking action against S.P.D. Earth if you're found guilty," Cruger revealed, deciding not to keep any secrets from those who would be most affected. "Theoretically, they could eliminate the S.P.D. Earth station, and the Academy along with it."

As if tensions couldn't run any higher, the news struck all of them hard. Out of the corner of his eye, Cruger noticed Galactic Council President Otto Cali walking down an adjacent corridor. Cruger watched him, as he prepared to enter a room. Cali paused briefly. It was as if he could feel eyes staring at him. He turned and faced Cruger for only a moment, before disappearing into the room.

The hearing of S.P.D. Officer Sky Tate was indeed like a chess game. But, as always in the game of chess, there is a factor that cannot be ignored. Beyond the pawns, the knights, the kings & queens, beyond the board itself, there are two powerful forces jockeying for control. In the game of chess, only one of these forces can achieve victory. But, can you truly win the game of chess, when you don't really know who your true enemy is?

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Inquisition"**  
_On the outs with Mia, Syd sneaks off to Andruss III after  
learning of Sky's upcoming testimony, despite Z's warnings  
Sam fills Bridge in on Piggy's strange behavior. Sky takes  
the stand in a fight for his career and ultimately his freedom  
The arrival of Newtech City's latest menace has B-Squad's  
Yellow Ranger struggling with his past. Barrett plans to  
get back into Mia's good graces. Sky sees Syd._


	9. Inquisition

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"INQUISITION"**

Sydney Drew stood frowning, as she looked out her apartment window. She was becoming like them. She hated that fact, but it was true. She had done quite a bit of research on the East Side of Newtech City before moving there and came to the conclusion that most of the nefarious entities that lived on this side of town loved the night life because it allowed them to escape the rules of the day. It allowed them to indulge in their latent desires and take advantage since most reputable souls were put to bed by then.

Syd couldn't help but think a part of her was the same. She dreaded waking up to see the moonlight had faded, along with the stars. Syd would have to face her problems. She had no idea how she would fix things with Mia. She had thought about it all night, as she stared out that window. Syd had to convince Mia that she was not interested in Barrett, at least romantically. As night turned into day, Syd felt she was left with only one solution. The most effective way to regain her friendship with Mia would be to tell her the truth about who she was.

It was the one solution that she couldn't utilize.

Syd sighed, as she walked out of her apartment and headed down the stairs, hoping that a walk might clear her mind…and prove to herself that she wasn't completely afraid of the daylight. But, she didn't get far before her dilemma was once again staring her in the face.

As Syd descended the staircase, which joined her apartment to the Purgatory lounge below, she heard sounds coming from the rear. She checked her watch and confirmed that it was too early for anyone to be there. Not even Barrett showed up this early.

She dropped all of her weight on her toes, walking as lightly as she could towards the back of the first floor. It was then that she heard movements coming from behind the door of the staff's break room. As her hand reached for the doorknob, she steadied her spirit. A part of her hoped for an intruder. She hadn't engaged in a physical fight of any kind for way too long. It might help her work out her frustrations.

But before she could turn the knob, the door opened, catching her and the person on the other side off-guard. Both Syd and Mia jumped back, as they saw one another. Syd caught her breath.

"Mia, I didn't know anyone was down here," she said.

Mia's fear dissipated quickly, turning to annoyance, as she saw Syren Dean standing across from her.

"I was trying to find spare towels," Mia said. "I know Barrett has some around here somewhere."

Syd walked into the break room and opened a cabinet door, showing Mia what she was looking for. Mia took them, without a word. It was then that Syd noticed the blanket and pillow on the couch inside the break room.

"Did you sleep here?" she asked.

"That's none of your business," Mia said, coldly.

"Mia, listen to me. I'm not trying to get between you & Barrett. I would never hurt you like that," Syd said.

"It's too late," Mia said. "You did hurt me and it's not the first time. I see now that I should have trusted my first instincts about you. Believe me, if I had anywhere else to go I would have."

Mia took the towels and headed into the employee restroom, slamming the door behind her and giving Syd an emphatic sign that this conversation was over.

No longer in the mood for her walk, Syd headed back upstairs to her apartment. After closing the door, she leaned against it, with her eyes closed. She contemplated turning around and going back down to Mia and telling her that she was an undercover S.P.D. operative who could never love a man like Barrett Van Tigue, because her ultimate goal was to arrest him.

"Don't even think about it!"

Syd's eyes popped open quickly, as she was startled for the second time this morning. She saw Z Delgado enter the area from the bathroom. She appeared to be fixing her hair.

"Sorry," Z said, seeing she had scared Syd. "I let myself in."

"You're getting a little too good at this ghost thing," Syd smirked. "You heard me downstairs?"

"No," Z said, looking confused.

"Then what did you mean when you said don't even think about it?"

"Oh," Z said. "I saw you over there by the door in deep thought and with Sky testifying today, I thought maybe you were thinking about putting in an appearance."

"That's today?" Syd said. She had been so wrapped up in her own problems that she had forgotten about Sky's hearing.

"Yep," Z said, as she grabbed herself some juice from the food dispenser in Syd's kitchen.

"How are things going with that?"

"From what Kat's told me, it could go either way," Z revealed.

"Poor Sky," Syd said, as her brain went into overdrive. "Maybe I should go."

"Uh, no!" Z said quickly. "Don't you remember Sydney Drew has gone into hiding. No one knows where she is. If you show up at the Galactic Council Center someone's going to see you and that could destroy this investigation…and your job if Cruger's the one who spots you."

"It's better than moping around here," Syd said.

"Mia still not speaking to you?"

"No," Syd said.

"Well, get over it and get back to what you came here for," Z said, sternly. "Mia's not the target. Barrett Van Tigue is. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that. If Mia wants to believe you're having an affair with him, so what. If you ask me, that's the angle you should have taken in the first place."

"Mia's become my friend. She thinks I betrayed her," Syd said, frowning. "Sky probably thinks the same thing."

"Going to Andruss III isn't going to solve anything. Sky can't see you. No one can see you. You're better off staying here and trying to pick up the pieces of this case," Z said.

"Sky needs all the support he can get," Syd said, convincing herself that she was going to do the wrong thing. "Even if he doesn't know he's getting it."

"What's going on in that head of yours?" Z asked slyly.

"If I'm disguised, no one will know I'm there," Syd said, with a smirk.

"Syd, you can't do this," Z said. "If Cruger sees you—"

"I'll just have to make sure he doesn't see me," Syd said, cutting her off. "Now, no more trying to talk me out of it. I'm going. It'll help me give Mia some space and hopefully by the time I get back, I'll have figured out how to fix things. Now, the only question I have for you is – are you going to help me or not?"

Z shook her head, knowing she would regret this. She rolled her eyes.

"You know me. Never one to stick to the rulebook," Z said, sighing. "But, I have my own part in this investigation. I have to take care of some stuff first."

"That's fine," Syd said quickly. "I'll wait."

"Okay, I'll get us a ride…somehow," Z said.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" 

It was a question that B-Squad Cadet Duc Sato had asked himself several times in the last day. He had come to an answer and was unwavering. His friends and teammates, however, weren't convinced yet. As he sat on his bed and looked at them, he was grateful for their support. Meg and Casey were seated on Boom's bed across from Duc's. Boom was standing next to them. All three were staring at Duc, waiting for an answer to Casey's question.

"I have no choice," Duc said. "If I don't meet with this guy, then I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

"What if it's a trap?" Boom said, nervously. "Didn't you tell me that S.P.D. captured the alien that killed your parents?"

"They did, but…I couldn't identify him for sure," Duc explained. "I could have sworn he was human. What if S.P.D. caught the wrong criminal? If this informant was setting a trap, he would have sprung it the last time he lured me out there."

Boom still didn't look convinced.

Duc continued, "My parents were stabbed in cold blood, right in front of me. Every time I think back to it, all I can remember is blood and the footsteps of the person who killed them."

"That's natural," Casey said. "You were only three years old at the time."

"I have a feeling that this person who emailed me knows something. I have to check it out," Duc said, as he stood up, resigned to his decision.

"We should tell Kat," Boom said.

"No," Duc said quickly. "As far as S.P.D. is concerned, my parents' killer has been caught. Besides, this is personal and I want to keep it that way."

"Well, there's no way I'm letting you go out there by yourself," Meg said, standing up from Boom's bed. "I'm going with you."

"He said for me to come alone," Duc said, giving her a serious look.

Casey stood up next to Meg.

"If you don't want us telling anyone, _we're_ going," Casey chimed in.

"We'll stay out of sight," Boom added. "We'll go for backup…if you need it."

Duc glanced at the clock on his desk, knowing that he was running of time. He had a feeling they would probably follow him even if he refused to take them along. Despite the intensely personal nature of the situation and his personal code telling him not to, Duc decided to let his team in.

"Okay," Duc said, seriously. "But you have to stay out of sight. I don't want to lose track of this guy again if he really does know who killed my parents."

The other three members of B-Squad all nodded in agreement. They followed Duc out of the room and out into Newtech City for a meeting that could change his life forever.

* * *

As Barrett Van Tigue's black limousine pulled up in front of his establishment, his driver stepped out of the front seat. Clad in long black leather boots with three-inch heels, Lady Vishus walked towards the back door. She didn't bother to tug on the black leather mini-skirt she wore, despite the fact that it partially rose while she was seated. A buttoned blazer, driving gloves and her chauffeur's cap, all in matching black leather, completed the ensemble. 

She bent over slightly opening the back door, which allowed Barrett Van Tigue to step out into the street. After Vishus closed the door, he stared her in the face.

"You stay here," he said, coldly.

"Really?"

"I'm going to see if Mia's inside. I don't need you," Barrett said, quickly as he headed towards the front of the lounge.

As he approached the front door, he saw Mia through the window, standing behind the bar, drinking a clear liquid that he hoped was water. A ray of sunlight traveled in through the window, casting light on her face. Barrett sighed, as he removed a key from his pocket and unlocked the front entrance and walked in. Vishus watched him from the street, refusing to step back into the vehicle.

Inside, Mia saw Barrett approaching the bar. Part of her wanted to run, but that was a feeling she had for a while now. She had fought it for so long, but deep down she wanted to get as far away from Barrett Van Tigue as she could. But she needed him, in more ways than one. Still, she wasn't going to give in to the apology she knew was coming. She turned her back on him and leaned against the bar, as Barrett stepped up in front of it.

"Mia, sweetheart, I've been looking for you all night. You haven't answered your cell," Barrett said, looking worried.

"I didn't want to talk to you," Mia said, angrily.

Barrett gave a disappointed sigh.

"Mia, I know you're angry," Barrett said. "Vishus told me what you saw."

Mia then spun around quickly, and put her elbows up on the bar. She rested her chin on them and stared into Barrett's eyes.

"Come on," she said. "Give it to me. I want to hear how you justify this one."

Barrett's disappointment was beginning to fade.

"Syren was worried about you," Barrett said, seriously. "She thought you were going to do something drastic about the situation with Anna. She wanted me to do something."

"So you groped her," Mia said sarcastically. "Nice move."

Barrett frowned. "She was upset. I tried to calm her. I assured her that you were my responsibility and I was going to help you any way that I could."

"Your responsibility?" Mia said, angrily. "I remember when I was your girlfriend."

She tried to turn away from him again, but this time Barrett gently grabbed her arm, not allowing her to turn.

"You are," Barrett said, sincerely. "That's why I'm here. That's why I've been looking for you. Just let me make this better."

"I'm not sure you can," Mia said, still frowning.

"I hope you'll let me try," Barrett said, hoping Mia would look into his eyes. They were always a weak spot for her, he knew.

Mia glanced at him. Barrett knew he had her attention now.

"Come by the house tonight. I know we can work this out. Just give me a chance," Barrett said, pouring every piece of honesty he could muster out onto the bar.

Mia forced herself to blink. Taking her eyes off him for only a second was enough to show her that she could do it.

"I'll think about it," she responded.

Barrett took his hand off her arm and nodded.

"That's all I can ask I guess," he said.

As he exited the lounge, Mia watched him climb into his limo from the street side, while Lady Vishus remained on the other side, staring at her. Mia stared right back. She felt more confident when she saw Lady Vishus blink first. After the limo pulled away, Mia took a deep breath.

* * *

The top floor of Karovian Towers on Andruss III was usually deserted. Besides the large suite belonging to the Supreme Commander, there were three other smaller suites. While their use was up to the discretion of the Supreme Commander, they were usually used for special delegates visiting the planet. Many frowned when Cruger announced Sky Tate would reside in one of the suites while his hearing was underway. Currently, the other two free suites were also occupied by the Blue and Green Rangers. 

As Quinn Gray exited his suite he strolled down the hallway until he spotted the two officers that were assigned to keep track of Sky while he was under arrest. He nodded to them and stepped up to Sky's suite. The doors slid right open. Sky was not allowed to lock his security detail out.

Quinn walked in and peeked around. When he heard water running in the bathroom, he knocked on the wall next to the door to get his attention. After a few moments, he saw Sky's head peek out of the bathroom. His hair was damp; he had a white towel around his neck and a toothbrush in his mouth. Wearing his red S.P.D. t-shirt, he nodded to Quinn before disappearing back into the bathroom.

While he waited, Quinn couldn't help looking around the large suite and noticing that Sky hadn't made himself at home. The only thing in the room that Quinn knew belonged to Sky was the blue duffel bag that had his belongings in it. Quinn walked over to the bag and reached inside, picking up a loose photo he saw tucked on the side. Quinn took a deep breath as he stared at the face of Nathan Tate.

Part of Quinn wished he could know him, talk to him, and ask him so many questions. It was something he knew he could never do and that was the burden left behind for him thanks to his parents' secret. He never heard the water turn off in Sky's bathroom, or Sky enter the room, drying his hair with the towel.

"Surprised to see that?" Sky asked, catching Quinn off guard.

Quinn looked nervous, as he realized Sky had walked in on him rifling through his things.

"Sorry," Quinn said. "I couldn't help it."

"You don't have to apologize," Sky said. "I buried that picture for months, but in the end, I couldn't leave Earth without it. I guess I couldn't help it either."

Quinn looked troubled, as he noticed Sky's demeanor.

"You seem...calm," Quinn said, ominously. "You ready for today?"

"I don't know," Sky said, as he looked curious. "There's so much at stake now and I have no idea what the Council is thinking. So I guess, I'm going just going to go in there and answer the questions the best way I can."

"Good luck with _that_," Quinn said, sarcastically.

"You did good up there," Sky said. "He would have been proud."

Quinn looked back down at the photograph.

"You'd know," Quinn said to Sky quietly, while still staring at Nathan.

Sky sighed, as he walked closer to Quinn.

"I feel cheated sometimes," Quinn said, as he looked up at Sky. "I hate to say it but I wish he was still alive so I could scream at him and find out why he did...what he did."

"I feel the same way," Sky explained. "But for what it's worth, you were the stronger kid and I think he knew that."

"What do you mean?"

"You were the one he knew could live without him," Sky said. "Somehow, he knew that your mother would help you become the man that you needed to be...without him. Look at me. I had him for years and look how I turned out."

"I think you just complimented me," Quinn said, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't get a big head, Gray," Sky said, smirking. "I could be on my way to prison. Consider it a last ditch effort to save my soul."

As Sky retreated to his bedroom, Quinn watched him. He knew that Sky's soul didn't need saving. For months, it was a day that Quinn never thought he'd see, but some way, some how, Sky's soul had been delivered from the darkness that clouded the path between the half-brothers. Quinn gave Nathan one final glance.

"Thank you," he said quietly to his father.

* * *

Consuela Vargas was born to be a servant. Ever since her arrival in Newtech City, she knew what she wanted and she knew what she would have to do to get it. Appearing to be in her sixties, Consuela never gave too much information about herself, especially to employers like Barrett Van Tigue. She specialized in being invisible. She was there when called for and blended into the background when unneeded. The less those around her knew about her personal life, the more valuable she felt she was. She prevented them from ever worrying about her, while also giving the impression that she lived to serve. 

This lifestyle, however, had lent itself to certain complications in her present occupation. Because of Consuela's work, she was often around the home of Barrett Van Tigue. She had built up a trust with him and that made him comfortable. But, Consuela was naturally observant. As such, she noticed many things that may not have been intended for her. Consuela was like a fly on the wall of almost every room within the large estate owned by Barrett Van Tigue. Her presence, though usually unnoticed by the other residents, was a constant. On this day, she had noticed that one other presence in that home was gone.

As Consuela entered the Van Tigue mansion, she heard footsteps squeaking on the marble flooring of Barrett's living room. The ever-observant servant knew even before seeing the owners of those footsteps that they were foreign to this house. As she walked into the living room, her thoughts were confirmed. Four men dressed in mover's jumpsuits were moving and rearranging the furniture. Consuela was a bit troubled to see this, but she never let it show. Her eyes veered to her boss, who was seated at the bar, watching the workers.

"Senor Van Tigue, are you leaving?" Consuela asked, with sincere curiosity.

For a moment Barrett looked confused by the question. Then he smiled.

"Oh no," he chuckled. "Sorry. I've got plans for the evening and I wanted a little space."

Consuela wondered if these plans had something to do with their missing resident, Mia Storm.

"A party?" she inquired.

"Nothing that extravagant," Barrett said, waving off the thought. "I'm actually going for something very…intimate. Mia's coming home, I hope."

"That is good news," Consuela said, giving him a cordial smile. "I will get started on dinner then. I have groceries in the car."

As Consuela moved towards the door, Barrett stood up and called out to her.

"It's all right, Consuela," Barrett said. "I have everything taken care of. I'm ordering from Luciano's. No offense."

"None taken," Consuela said, humbly. "I know Italian is Miss Mia's favorite."

"I want everything to be perfect," Barrett told her.

"Then I will unpack the groceries and get out of your way for the night," Consuela said, with a quick bow, before heading out to retrieve her bags.

Barrett smiled, as he turned back to the movers, watching them setting up the small dining table that he planned to eat on with Mia. Just then, he saw Lady Vishus entering from the archway to his left, coming from his recreation room. She walked right up to him. The male movers couldn't help but steal a look at her out of the corner of their eyes. She walked so quickly that her dark hair and its streak of white seemed to blow away from her face.

"I don't like this," Vishus said, with her voice low as not to inform the movers of her words.

Barrett gestured towards the rec room and she followed him through the archway.

"I don't care," Barrett said to her, once they were out of the sight of the moving crew. "It's your fault I'm in this situation to begin with."

"Barrett, I was doing you a favor," Vishus said, arrogantly. "Mia's dead weight and she's trying to drag you down."

"I want her," Barrett said. "And I'm going to get her back."

"She's too close," Vishus said. "She could find out about your plans. I'm trying to protect you."

"Well, you're taking it too far," Barrett shot back. "You not only hurt my relationship with Mia, but her relationship with Syren, just when they were getting along."

"That was the point," Vishus said. "Two birds with one stone."

"So, you're after both of them now?" Barrett said, with a smirk. "Watch out, V. You're starting to seem jealous."

Vishus pressed her red-painted lips, giving him a brief eye roll.

"Come now. You know that's impossible," she said.

"Then cut it out," Barrett said, more seriously. "I mean it. I don't want you interfering anymore with Mia. Stay out of the way, especially tonight. Understood?"

Vishus sighed, as she nodded, agreeing not to get involved in Barrett's romantic plans. But deep down, it was restraint that she knew she couldn't obey forever.

* * *

Inside Earth's Delta Command Base, Sam Hastings walked with a purpose. Ever since his eyes opened on this morning, he had one mission: to find Bridge Carson. Unfortunately for him, Bridge wasn't on Earth and Sam knew there was no way he could get to him so far away on Andruss III. As he arrived at his destination, he pressed the door chime, hoping to get an answer. After a few seconds the doors slid open in front of him. 

He had never been inside of Sophie's room, but he wasn't surprised to see that it wasn't decorated very much. There was a bed, which he wasn't sure that she used. There were two desks. One held her computer terminal and some other LCD pads. He noticed the other desk had some small tools on it. He watched as Sophie grabbed one of them and knelt back on the floor, where the robotic patrol hound, Murphy was laying, with an open panel on his back.

Sam stepped in closer, as he saw the instrument light up in Sophie's hand and enter the open panel on Murphy's back.

"Sam, what's up?" Sophie asked, with a smile.

"Is Murphy okay?" Sam asked.

He had grown quite fond of the robotic canine since it became S.P.D. Earth's mascot after it's owner, Commander Silverback had perished last year.

"He's fine," Sophie said. "I was just running his scheduled systems diagnostic. Everyone else is kinda busy. What can I do for you?"

"Um, I kinda need to talk to Bridge," Sam stammered.

"You know he's not here, right?"

"Yeah," Sam said, smiling. "Do you know when he's coming back?"

"Well, since things have been quiet around here, he & Quinn decided to stay longer for Sky's hearing, instead of coming back and forth," Sophie explained. "But, I hear the hearing will be ending sometime soon."

"Oh," Sam said, disappointed.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked.

"Can you call Bridge?" Sam asked, curiously. "On your morpher?"

"I could," Sophie looked confused. "But, we're only supposed to use them in an emergency. Is something wrong?"

"I really just need to talk to Bridge," Sam responded.

He didn't want to reveal his thoughts on Piggy's sleeping confession to just anyone. He didn't know Sophie that well and he had already decided not to inform Commander Manx until he had talked to Bridge. Sam had observed everyone's opinion of him and he knew that they would either dismiss his claims or tell Piggy what he knew. To them, he was just a kid and Sam didn't want Piggy to slip away before Bridge could question him.

"It's okay," Sam said finally. "If you speak to Bridge, just let him know that I need to talk to him. It's kind of important."

"Sure," Sophie said, as she went back to her diagnostic work on Murphy.

Sam walked out of the room and took a deep breath. He had sent Bridge a message on Andruss III, but he had no idea if he had seen it or if Bridge ever checked his messages at all.

* * *

It had been almost a year since the devastating fire wave struck Newtech City. Led by Space Patrol Delta, the residents of the city showed their determination and spirit to live on despite the massacre. Many businesses had been rebuilt or were in the process of being completed. Life was beginning to get back to normal. For Duc Sato, however, life was beginning to change. Things he had believed were being questioned. Even he wondered what fate lay ahead. 

As the black and white S.P.D. patrol jeep rolled up next to a large building, one of the few completed since Cartiron's firewall hit, Duc felt a sense of uneasiness rising within his gut. He glanced over at the jeep's driver, Meg Thurman. Duc was closest to B-Squad's Pink Ranger. He gave her a look that quickly conveyed to her that this was his stop. Duc heard a loud sigh coming from B-Squad's Blue Ranger, Boom, who was seated behind him.

"I don't like this," Boom said, quietly.

Duc looked back at him.

"You don't have to," Duc said. "For what it's worth, I don't like it either. But I don't have much choice. I have to hear what this guy has to say."

"We'll hang back and stay out of sight," Casey spoke. B-Squad's Green Ranger was seated next to Boom in the back.

Duc nodded.

"Unless you want us to come after all?" Meg said, giving him a look of hope that he might reconsider having them stay hidden.

"I'll be okay," Duc said. "Besides, if there's trouble, I know how to get in touch."

He gently tapped his white morpher, holstered at his side. Duc exited the jeep and started walking towards his destination, which was only a block away. Two right turns later, he had arrived. He looked around. The area outside the tall building seemed to be deserted. The company who owned it was closed. Duc looked troubled.

It was so quiet that the only sounds he heard were his own boots hitting the pavement. The feeling of uneasiness had rose from the pit of his stomach all the way to his brain. He had a bad feeling. As his right hand started to graze his morpher, he heard another pair of footsteps approaching from behind. He turned quickly to see a green alien approaching.

"Cadet Sato," the alien spoke first.

Duc was surprised. He had expected his informant to be human. It was an assumption he knew he should never have made, given how many aliens resided on Earth in this day and age. This one was rather unique, Duc thought to himself. He appeared to be an insectoid. His large beetle-shaped green head and large gold-colored eyes gave that away. But unlike many alien visitors to Earth, he was wearing human clothing from his waist down. The alien's white pants were spotless and his silver boots matched perfectly.

"Who are you?" Duc spoke up, asking the one question he had wondered about ever since this alien contacted him.

"That isn't important," the alien called back. "What's important is that I have information you want."

"I'm here so let's get to it," Duc said, quickly. "You never said what kind of information you had."

"The information I have is the identity of the person who murdered your parents," the alien revealed.

"How do you know that?" Duc said, trying to push aside the other million questions he had swimming around in his head.

"The killer confessed to me," the alien said.

"Confessed?" Duc said. "You have proof?"

"Of course," the alien said, as he reached behind his back, causing Duc to put up his guard instantly.

His hand reached for his morpher until he saw the alien had pulled a tape recorder from his back pocket. The silver device fit snuggly in the alien's palm. Duc was starting to feel better, however, he knew this wouldn't be that easy.

"What do you want for it?" Duc asked, seriously.

"That is an interesting question," the alien said slyly. "How do you know I want something?"

He began to walk closer to Duc, who didn't move.

"Frankly, you don't look like the good samaritan type," Duc said, seriously.

"You'd be surprised," the alien said, as he extended his hand, opening his palm.

Duc caught sight of the recorder waving in front of him like a jar of honey sitting in front of a bee. He couldn't resist. He reached out to grab the recorder when a laser blast struck near his feet, knocking him and the alien to the ground. As Duc looked up, he saw an approaching alien who looked much more sinister than his informant. This one was tall. Two antennae that appeared to shoot up from its skull like flames accented its maroon head. The armor, which was distinctly female, was blood red. She clutched her large silver blaster, which had a dark red stripe along the side. Each of her armored arms included tanks of ammunition for her rifle.

Duc noticed her glowing yellow eyes, as he managed to get to his feet with his morpher already removed. He lifted it to his face and popped it open.

"Could use that backup…now!" he yelled into the device, as he looked over at his informant who had scurried out of the alien's line of fire. "I got this."

With his morpher still clutched in his right hand, Duc sprinted forward, hopping into the air and coming down at the armored alien with a flying kick. The alien staggered back only a step. She swiped at him with her left hand, but Duc ducked it. She tried to bring her blaster around for another shot, but Duc spun around, kicking it away quickly. The alien, however, had found a weak spot, as he had his eyes on her weapon. With her free hand, she grabbed Duc by the back of his collar and tossed him into the air. As his body spun into a barrel roll in the air, he activated his morpher.

"S.P.D. Emergency!"

As his body hit the ground, he landed on his feet, fully morphed, with his B-Squad blaster in hand. The alien fired, but B-Squad's Yellow Ranger quickly dove out of the way and fired with his own weapon. His laser blast hit the ground near the alien, knocking her backwards a few feet.

Several feet away, the alien informant had ducked around the side of the building. As he watched the Yellow Ranger fighting the creature that had just arrived, Prax chuckled.

"Right on time," he grumbled under his breath.

He glanced at the recording device in his hand, before pocketing it and running off.

* * *

On Andruss III, Isinia Cruger opened her eyes. It was a daily ritual that had become an important part of her life. She had never been fond of needles. Having to stick herself with one everyday was a chore that she would only do to ensure the safety of the pups she carried within her. That's exactly what she was doing. 

Every time Isinia prepared herself for the injection, she replayed Dr. Sevarus's words in her head, telling her that the injections were the only thing that could give her offspring the vital enzymes needed to survive in the womb. The only place to find the enzymes naturally would be to breathe the air of her home planet of Sirius. Visiting her long abandoned home was not an option, especially with Sky's hearing in full swing.

Isinia was so deep in thought that she didn't notice her husband watching her from afar. He came closer, as he saw her close the briefcase that held her injections.

"Are they that bad?" Cruger asked, as he placed a loving hand on her shoulder.

"No," Isinia said, waving him off. "I was just thinking."

"About what/"

"Home, actually," Isinia said, nodding her head. "It's funny. We were both born so far away from here, but after all these years I can't say that I truly consider Sirius home."

"I know what you mean," Cruger said. "When I left there, it was gut-wrenching, especially after the Troobian attack. But, Earth welcomed me. That was home. Now this planet is home…at least for me."

"Are we going to have _that_ talk?" Isinia said, as she stood up and packed the medicinal case away.

"We don't have to right now," Cruger said. "But once Sky's hearing is over I would hope that you'd consider staying here with your husband, instead of returning to Earth."

Isinia turned to her husband, as she was once again deep in thought.

"Earth welcomed me too," Isinia said. "I wasn't sure I would make friends there, but I knew I had you by my side so that made it okay. Now, you're here and I'm trying to find reasons not to be."

"Earth is a hard planet to pass up. But, I still need you by my side too," Cruger said.

"I know," Isinia said, followed by a smirk. "They don't have houses on Andruss III."

Cruger couldn't help but laugh as he embraced his wife. He knew he wouldn't get a straight answer out of her about that today and he didn't want to add anything else to her plate. Secretly, he worried about her stress levels growing too high given Sky's hearing and her pregnancy problem.

"You think Sky's ready for today?" Cruger asked.

"I've tried to prepare him," Isinia explained. "The one thing he has going for him is he's been able to watch Advocate Grutton with the rest of you. He knows how he operates. If Sky can keep his temper in check, I think he'll do fine."

Cruger hoped that Isinia was right. These days, thoughts of Sky's hearing brought with them thoughts of the Council possibly penalizing all of S.P.D. on Earth. Despite being Supreme Commander that was still the closest thing he had to a home. And being Supreme Commander in this instance, also meant there was nothing he could do to stop the Galactic Council's interference.

Back on Earth, Z Delgado checked her watch. She grabbed her cellphone, preparing to call Sydney Drew one more time. The two were supposed to meet at the shuttle ten minutes ago. Z had been waiting. Then, she heard the hatch open at the rear. The only thing she could see enter the pilot's hatch was a person wearing a large navy blue hooded sweater and sunglasses. Z laughed.

"Nice disguise. Robbing a bank?" she called out.

As the figure sat in the co-pilot's seat next to Z, she removed the hood and glasses to reveal Sydney Drew underneath.

"I was in a hurry. It'll do," Syd said.

"You better hope so. Because if Cruger catches us, I'll really be a ghost…and so will you," Z said, as she started up the shuttle.

"So what did you tell Kat?" Syd asked.

"I told her I was going to check out a lead that I got from Piggy during one of my hauntings," Z answered.

"Good thinking," Syd said, as she strapped in.

Within minutes the shuttle was leaving the atmosphere of Earth.

"Hold on," Z said. "This is the express flight."

The shuttle took off at light speed, as Z set their course for Andruss III.

* * *

B-Squad's Yellow Ranger went flying backwards in an explosion of sparks, thanks to another laser attack from the monster, who was clearly exhibiting criminal behavior. Duc barely had enough time to gather himself. As he looked up at the creature, her weapon was once again trained on him. His blaster had landed a few feet away from him. He looked at it and then back at his attacker. Both wondered if he could get to it in time. The monster, however, wasn't willing to find out. She charged up her weapon. 

Just then, Duc's three morphed teammates flipped onto the scene, standing between him and the monster. With their blasters drawn, they aimed for the creature. B-Squad's Blue Ranger, however, had the feeling he was seeing a ghost.

"Rubexa?!" Boom shouted.

He remembered her well from her attack on the Delta Command Base over a year ago. Rubexa's presence here on this day baffled him.

"You know this creep?" Meg Thurman asked, from beneath her pink helmet.

"More than I'd like," Boom said, as they fired on Rubexa.

The criminal used her excellent reflexes to jump away from their attack. She fired an onslaught of lasers from her own weapon, while in midair. This time all four B-Squad Rangers were down.

Commander Kat Manx and Doctor Pryce Jensen were entering the Command Center, just as the alarms sounded. Pryce trotted over to the main control console, as Kat called out to her right.

"Ghiren, what's happening?" she asked, looking troubled.

The green alien turned from his station to look at her for only a brief moment.

"It's B-Squad," he announced. "They're being attacked downtown."

"By who?" Kat asked as she joined Pryce at the center station, just as Pryce pulled up a holographic video of the battle. Kat looked shocked. "What the…"

"What is it?" Pryce asked at her side.

"It's Rubexa!" Kat said, confused. "She was part of Broodwing's attack force on the base the day the Rangers finally captured him."

"Looks like she's back for round two," Pryce surmised.

"You don't understand," Kat said, seriously. "Rubexa was contained by the Rangers. I filed her containment card myself."

Pryce & Kat shared a troubled look. Then, the doors to the Command Center opened once again. Sophie walked in, also looking troubled.

"You've heard?" Kat called out.

"Yeah. I just went by the Containment Room," Sophie sighed. "Rubexa's card is gone!"

"What?" Kat shouted.

"The good news is it's the only one missing," Sophie said, as she joined them in the center of the room. "Somehow someone gained access to the room and released it."

Kat didn't have to think long. "The spy!"

"Looks like whoever it is has raised the stakes," Sophie said.

"B-Squad is in need of assistance," Niyako called out from the communications station as she got the call.

"I'm going," Sophie said.

"Hold on," Pryce said, as he walked quickly over to the science station on the left side of the room. He swiftly pressed several buttons. "If our spy's raising the stakes, I think it's time we fight fire with fire."

"What are you doing?" Kat said, as she walked over and peeked over his shoulder.

A few seconds later, Pryce opened a small hatch under the instrument console. He pulled out four black square cartridges.

"These should enhance the power of B-Squad's blasters," Pryce said. "It'll put them on the same level with the officers' S.W.A.T. technology."

"Quick thinking," Kat said.

Pryce tossed the four cartridges across the room to Sophie.

"You'll have to keep Rubexa distracted long enough for B-Squad to load them," Pryce ordered.

"Got it," Sophie said, as she pulled her morpher from its holster. "S.P.D. S.W.A.T.!"

* * *

"_Z!" Piggy yelled in his sleep._

"_No…so…sorry...don't!...No! Please!" Piggy continued in his slumber._

"_Don't fall!" Piggy yelled._

"_No, Z," Piggy moaned. "No. I…sorry. I didn't—"_

"_Didn't mean to…" Piggy fell into a constant snoring pattern. _

Sam hadn't been able to shake the sound of Piggy's half-snoring voice and the things he heard him say. As Sam paced through the corridors of the Delta Command Base, he wondered if he could possibly have been overreacting. Piggy could have just been having a nightmare. After all, he had talked to Dr. Sevarus about them earlier.

But Sam couldn't ignore his feeling that Piggy had been hiding something else for over a month. The fact that he seemed to become more uncomfortable anytime Z was mentioned, made Sam even more suspicious.

_But could Piggy really hurt someone, especially Z_, Sam wondered to himself.

Sam was so deep in thought that he wasn't paying attention when he turned a corner and bumped into someone. He was knocked off balance and fell to the hard floor. When he saw the fallen cane, he feared for a split second that he had knocked over an old man. But when he saw the silver tip of the cane, he knew it was no old man. It was an alien whom Sam thought could be a killer.

Trying to keep his cool, he grabbed for Piggy's cane, as Piggy grabbed his arm.

"Let me go," Sam said, quickly without thinking.

"Sorry, kid," Piggy said, unhanding him. "I didn't see ya coming."

"It's my fault," Sam said, avoiding Piggy's eyes at all costs. He handed him his cane back.

"Thanks," Piggy said, giving a yawn. "I'm still a little groggy from the good old Doc's medication, but I have to say once I got to sleep, it felt pretty good."

Sam thought back to overhearing Piggy talking in his sleep. He had to get away from him. He brushed past Piggy and kept walking down the corridor.

"What's the big rush, Sam?" Piggy called out.

When Sam got to the end of the corridor he looked back at Piggy for only a second, then continued on his way. Piggy watched him go.

"_Kids_," he huffed under his breath and continued on his way.

* * *

Silence had once again befallen the Galactic Council Chamber, after Sky Tate's full name had been called out by Galactic Council President Cali's assistant, Tawke. Sky & Isinia were standing before the green alien female could even take her seat. With his eyes on the chair that he was about to testify on, Sky made his way to the witness stand, followed closely by Isinia. 

"Officer Tate, you are obligated to speak only the truth as you know it during this questioning. Is that understood?" Cali spoke from the Council altar.

"Yes, sir," Sky said, before sitting.

Cali's order about the truth had been given to every person who sat in that chair before him. Sky heard it each time, but this time it seemed to carry even more weight, as he knew that all eyes and ears were going to be on him.

"Sky, you've been S.P.D. Earth's Red Ranger for sixteen months now, right?" Isinia asked for the record.

"That's correct," Sky responded.

For many seated in the gallery, it was the first time they had ever heard his voice. For one hooded bystander seated in the last row, it had been so long that she almost thought the voice had changed. Syd watched, as she sat behind a tall alien, with a cone-shaped head. She had to remove her sunglasses so she wouldn't stick out. But, all of the attention was on the witness stand and no one noticed her enter. She watched Sky as closely as she could.

"There's been a lot of talk during these proceedings about your actions, your thoughts, and your state of mind on January 18th. Would you tell us the situation as you experienced it that day when you came face-to-face with Omallix?" Isinia asked.

"Above all else, I felt desperate," Sky explained. "We had just been through a draining battle with Cartiron. It took four Megazords to contain him. The attack on our base left Commander Silverback dead. I thought Supreme Commander Cruger had perished in the crash of Omallix's base. Like I said, it was a desperate time."

Isinia nodded. Sky glanced at the Council. Seeing their eyes focused on him didn't make him nervous. In the back of the gallery, nerves had invaded the body of Sydney Drew, as she watched from afar, hoping that Sky remained steady.

"What happened when Omallix emerged from the rubble?" Isinia asked.

"We tried to subdue him. There were five of us fully morphed. Even in S.W.A.T. mode he was stronger. He targeted the innocents who had escaped the attack in the Delta Base. I tried to stop him. I grabbed him, but he was too powerful. He fired on them. If Bridge, Z, Quinn & Syd hadn't shielded them, they would have been killed," Sky explained. "Omallix's power completely drained their morphers. They were powerless, but they didn't give up. I knew I couldn't give up either."

Isinia nodded her head, giving Sky a non-verbal cue that he was doing well.

"So I took the only course of action that I had left. I called on the battlizer. It was the latest piece of our technology. If it didn't work, I knew we were going to lose," Sky said. "I'm thankful that it worked."

"That's a very intense story," Isinia said. "At the time, Commander Silverback was dead and you had no idea that Doggie Cruger was alive?"

"That's true," Sky responded quickly.

"So, to the best of your knowledge, you were in complete command?"

"Yes," Sky said.

"As Red Ranger and the highest ranking S.P.D. personnel in the field at the time, would you change anything about the way you handled the situation?" Isinia asked.

Several seconds passed by as Sky contemplated his answer. From their seats in the front row, Quinn Gray, Bridge Carson & Doggie Cruger all watched intently. Everyone seated in the gallery, including Syd, waited with baited breath.

"No," Sky said. "Omallix was determined to destroy us. He had to be stopped."

"Thank you," Isinia said, with a cordial nod, as she made her way back to her seat.

Sky took a deep breath, as some slight chatter could be heard passing between bystanders in the gallery. Syd heard the tall alien in front of her remark to the female seated next to him that Officer Tate seemed sympathetic. Syd smiled. There was one entity in the Council Chamber who wasn't smiling. Advocate Grutton sat in silence, with his hands folded the entire time. Now, still seated, he had his eyes on Sky Tate.

* * *

Inside the Purgatory lounge's break room, Mia Storm paced. She had contemplated Barrett's offer for hours now and she wasn't sure she was going to accept. In all honesty, she didn't want to accept. Barrett had made it perfectly obvious that he wasn't interested in helping her regain custody of her daughter. He may have only been interested in Mia's beauty, but she had bigger priorities. 

Mia reached into her pocket and pulled out a photograph of her daughter, Anna. As she stared at the picture of her smiling girl, a single tear fell from her eye onto the loose picture. Mia worked quickly to wipe it using the sleeve of her shirt. But she was too late and knew that the photo would be forever stained with her tear.

At that moment, Mia's cell phone rang. Still holding the photo, she grabbed her purse and pulled the phone out. Once she saw the number of the caller, she perked up.

"Anna?" Mia answered.

"Hi mommy," Anna said.

Mia was surprised that her daughter wasn't whispering, as she usually did during their conversations.

"Where are you?" Mia asked.

"Outside," Anna said, as she appeared to be standing on the side of the facility where she was kept.

Anna peeked around the side, seeing some of the other children playing on the small playground. After seeing no adults monitoring the area, she turned back to her secluded spot.

"We're having recess," Anna told her mother. "I missed you and I wanted to talk to you."

"I'm so glad you called," Mia said, happily.

She was unable to stop the tears from falling, but she tried to sound as upbeat as possible.

"It's been too long. I miss my girl," Mia continued. "What's been going on?"

"Something happened," Anna said, somberly.

"What? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Anna responded. "It's just…Mrs. Bradshaw. She introduced me to these people."

"People?" Mia said, confused.

"A couple," Anna explained. "The Shaws said they liked me. I think they want to adopt me."

Mia's eyes closed, as more tears fell.

"It's gonna be okay," she said finally to her daughter.

"But…they might come back. What if they want to take me home?" Anna said.

Mia could hear the apprehension in the eleven-year old girl's voice. She knew she had to calm her daughter, even if she wasn't calm herself.

"It's all right, Anna. Just listen to me. I told you that I would find a way to get you back. I will," Mia said.

"I…I want to go home with you," Anna said, as she sobbed.

"You will," Mia said, this time determined. "I promise."

As she ended the call, Mia wiped her tears. She knew she was running out of time. There was only one avenue that Mia could think of. With one deep breath, she resigned herself to get what she wanted, anyway she could. She glanced at her watch, as she grabbed her purse. She didn't have much time.

* * *

Inside the Delta Command Base, the security alarms were still blaring, as Sam Hastings turned a corner. He looked up ahead and saw Dr. Shivan Sevarus walking quickly. 

"Doctor Sevarus!" Sam called out.

S.P.D. Earth's Chief of Medicine looked surprised as he saw Sam approaching.

"Sam, you should be in a safety zone! We have no idea what this emergency is. Commander Manx may need to activate the Delta Command Megazord," Sevarus said, seriously.

"I'm not really worried about it," Sam said, as he waved his arm and teleported from behind Sevarus.

He reappeared in front of him and smirked.

"I thought I told you to cut down on using your powers. The tingling effect in your hands may get worse," Sevarus said.

"Just listen," Sam said. "It's about Piggy."

Sevarus continued to walk quickly down the corridor. Sam followed.

"What about Piggy?"

"Do you think his strange behavior could be caused by him feeling guilty about something?" Sam asked.

Sevarus stopped and turned to Sam, looking confused.

"What are you talking about? Why are you so concerned with Piggy?"

"I'm just curious," Sam said, covering. "Could someone's nightmares be an outlet for their real emotions?"

"Sam, we're in the middle of an emergency!" Sevarus said. "You need to get to your quarters, or a safety zone, now."

"_You're_ not in a safety zone!" Sam said, annoyed. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm on my way to the Infirmary. Now, you get to where you're supposed to be and don't worry about Piggy. I've got it under control," Sevarus said, as he sped off to his destination, leaving Sam angered.

* * *

B-Squad was down, on the receiving end of a brutal attack by the escaped alien criminal, Rubexa. As their suits smoked and their bodies ached, things were getting desperate. 

"We have to get up!" Casey, B-Squad's Green Ranger, shouted.

As they staggered to their feet and steadied their weapons, Rubexa was already laughing maniacally.

"I just love to kick Rangers when they're down!" she cackled.

"Get a new hobby!" a voice yelled, as Rubexa was blasted from the side.

Caught off-guard, she crashed to the ground in a barrage of lasers. The alien in red looked up to see the smoking barrel of a Delta Enforcer pointed directly at her. The Pink Ranger, decked out in her S.W.A.T. gear, tossed the four black blaster cartridges to B-Squad.

"Load them quickly. It should make your blasters more effective against her!" Sophie yelled to them.

Within seconds, B-Squad was loading the power packs into their weapons. As they worked, Sophie sprinted into action, as she saw Rubexa getting to her feet. She went in for a kick, but Rubexa raised her weapon, using it as a shield, to deflect Sophie's kick. Sophie responded by using her Delta Enforcer to nail Rubexa in her exposed head. The criminal staggered backwards, but only for a second. She took to the sky, coming down at Sophie with her weapon drawn and firing.

The Pink Ranger dove away from the blast quickly, just as the four members of B-Squad joined her.

"You ready?" she asked.

"Locked and loaded," Boom shouted.

"Okay. I'll distract her…again," Sophie said, as she sprinted off towards the monster.

Rubexa saw her coming.

"Not this time, pinky!" she yelled, as she fired her blaster.

Sophie fired her Delta Enforcer at the exact same time. The lasers began an intense battle, as they ricochet off one another, while Sophie continued to run towards her. Once she got too close to safely fire again, Sophie kicked Rubexa's weapon away. The alien responded by swiping at Sophie's chest with her powerful palm, causing Sophie to fall backwards, as sparks exploded from her chest. The Pink Ranger was down, as Rubexa stood above her and planted her foot on Sophie's morphed chest.

"This is fun!" Rubexa sneered down at her.

"You can say that again!" Meg, the other Pink Ranger on the battlefield yelled.

Rubexa turned to see B-Squad even closer with their weapons trained on her.

"You don't think that will be enough to take me down, do you?" Rubexa shouted.

"We're going to find out," Boom said. "Fire!"

Rubexa was struck with a barrage of laser attacks from all four of B-Squad's weapons, causing her entire body to light up with smoke and sparks. The escaped criminal collapsed to the ground in a large explosion. With one swift motion, B-Squad's Yellow Ranger activated his morpher's containment mode, leaving Rubexa once again contained.

Boom and Casey helped Sophie get to her feet.

"Are we sure that's gonna really hold her this time?" Casey wondered aloud.

"She didn't get out on her own," Sophie grumbled.

The three watched as Duc knelt on the ground and retrieved the containment card. He looked off in the distance, as he sighed. He knew that the informant was long gone, thanks to Rubexa. As he made his way to his feet, Meg was there to place a friendly hand on his shoulder. With a nod, they headed back to the Delta Command Base.

* * *

Inside the Galactic Council Chamber, Advocate Obla Grutton had made his way to his feet, but he still hadn't said anything. Isinia had a feeling that he was trying to rattle Sky by making him wait. She made eye contact with Sky, again giving him a non-verbal cue to stay calm. After seeing a few of the Council members begin shifting in their seats and looking towards him, President Cali spoke up. 

"Advocate Grutton, please proceed," he prodded Grutton to begin.

"Officer Tate, you said earlier that if the battlizer didn't work, you felt you were going to lose. Is that correct?" Grutton finally spoke.

"Yes," Sky said quickly.

"So you feel that you _won_ in that situation?"

"I feel that I stopped a deadly threat," Sky said. "It was a bad choice of words."

"Bad choice?" Grutton said. "That's a concept you're used to. Officer Tate, why didn't you load the containment card before you fired on Omallix?"

"Because there wasn't time. I had to act quickly. I didn't think about it. Omallix had to be stopped then and there," Sky explained. "Besides, as Bridge said, there was no guarantee that containment would completely hold Omallix."

"So, let me get this straight. You're saying that there wasn't time to load the card, you didn't think about loading the card and you didn't believe the card could hold your enemy?" Grutton said, looking for confirmation.

"That's what I said," Sky said.

"That's a lot of excuses," Grutton said sarcastically.

"He's editorializing again," Isinia spoke out towards the Council altar.

"Advocate Grutton, please stick to questions," Cali corrected him.

"They're not excuses," Sky said. "I'm telling you the situation as I lived it."

In the back of the gallery, Syd couldn't help but give a small smile. She was glad to see Sky standing up for himself, calmly.

"You were triumphant," Grutton admitted. "It occurs to me that you didn't mention anything about your father's vendetta with Omallix and how you took up that cause. Would you include that as one of the reasons you didn't contain him?"

"No. In that moment when I fired on Omallix, I wasn't thinking about my father. I was only thinking about the people who were in danger," Sky said a bit tenser. "I swore to protect them and my teammates."

"You swore to uphold the rules and regulations of Space Patrol Delta," Grutton said. "You didn't. You broke the rules by using extreme, deadly force against an enemy whom you personally had not even judged for his crimes."

"I already explained that," Sky said, annoyed. "I told you there wasn't time to consult a rulebook. There wasn't time to contemplate the different possible outcomes. The only thing I could do was stop him! I barely had time to call on the battlizer at all."

"Isn't it true that since you made squad status as a cadet, you used your position as a symbol of power around S.P.D. Earth?" Grutton switched gears, as he noticed Sky's annoyance.

"I took great pride in my accomplishments. At times, that clouded my judgment," Sky said, as he looked to Isinia, who gave him a positive nod of support.

"So you were arrogant?" Grutton said. "You felt that you were better than others enrolled at the Academy, even a teammate or two. Isn't that correct?"

"My confidence in myself and my abilities was taken too far at times. But I grew out of that," Sky said.

"When you were accused of disobeying the rules which you preached so much about to other cadets?" Grutton wondered.

"That's not what I meant," Sky said. "I learned to appreciate the differences between me and my comrades. I wasn't perfect in a lot of ways. I'm not debating that. But, I was not a loose cannon either."

Sky watched as Grutton began to pace around in front of the altar. As he became silent again, Sky took the chance to take a deep breath and steady himself again. He glanced out at the gallery. All of their eyes were on him. For a moment, he thought he saw a familiar pair of eyes in the last row. He took an extra glance, but a tall alien figure obscured his vision.

"Did you ever think you would be charged for your violation?" Grutton asked.

"No," Sky answered honestly.

"Why not?" Grutton asked, curiously.

"I guess I didn't believe it was a violation. There were extreme circumstances," Sky said.

"Extreme circumstances. Would you categorize your battle against the monster Mirloc as extreme?" Grutton asked.

Sky was caught off-guard by the mention of Mirloc.

"I don't understand what that has to do with this case," Isinia spoke out.

"Officer Tate, you used the battlizer for the first time when you faced Mirloc and contained him. But, if there were no card in that battlizer, would you have fired on him anyway?" Grutton pressed on, ignoring Isinia's objection.

"That's a hypothetical that I can't answer," Sky said. "There was a containment card loaded. I knew that before I fired."

"You also knew that a card was required to contain Omallix, but you failed to load one. Mirloc was very powerful. He even captured you and most of your teammates," Grutton said. "He also had a past with your father that made you angry. Sounds like pretty extreme circumstances. You didn't judge him before firing either, did you?"

"He escaped prison. He had already been judged," Sky said, still trying to steady himself. "Just like Omallix."

Sky's thoughts veered to Mirloc and how angry he was when Mirloc used him to escape prison. Sky had found himself captured. He would never forget that day, walking with Syd when Mirloc attacked. He couldn't help glancing back into the gallery at the figure seated in the back, which had him also thinking of Syd. This time, he saw a pair of blue eyes peeking around the tall alien man in the back. Sky squinted, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him. The woman sitting in the back moved her head out of his sight. Grutton noticed Sky distracted.

"Was it this hard to focus during the battle with Omallix?" Grutton asked.

"What?" Sky said, as he turned back to Grutton.

Isinia looked troubled, as she glanced behind her at her husband who was seated in the first row of the gallery, along with Quinn and Bridge.

"Be honest with us, Officer Tate. Before the S.P.D. rule book, before your own superiors, the thing that influences you the most is your emotion?" Grutton asked, tensely. "When someone hurts you personally, you do anything necessary to make them pay. Isn't that right?"

"No," Sky said, angrily. "It's not like that."

"You are supposed to speak the truth as you know it, Officer Tate," Grutton said, quickly. "Mirloc angered you. Omallix angered you. You used that anger to fight them."

"Emotion is unavoidable when dealing with criminals like them," Sky said, as he look back at the woman in the back, who reminded him of someone who understood his perspective and always tried to comfort him.

"Dealing with them?" Grutton said. "You mean destroying them? You wanted to destroy Omallix because your father never did. This man had hurt your friends. You wanted to make him pay, didn't you?"

"He had to pay for his crimes," Sky said, through gritted teeth. "That's obvious."

Sensing that things were getting too tense, Syd decided to make her exit. She knew in her heart that Sky had seen her. She couldn't risk further compromising her position. As she stood up, her dark colored sweater caught his eye. All other eyes were on Sky.

"Syd!" Sky called out, loudly.

Every figure in the room turned to look towards the doors at the back of the Chamber. Syd had already departed and the doors were closing.

"Syd, come back!" Sky yelled, as he stood up.

Murmurs and voices from the gallery began to fill the Council Chamber. As the commotion got louder, Doggie Cruger stood up and walked quickly out of the Chamber through the same doors Syd did. He looked out into the corridor, but saw no one. He returned to the Chamber to hear the voices getting louder, including Sky's.

"Calm down, Officer Tate!" President Cali ordered, as he activated the chime in front of him on the altar, trying to regain control of the room.

Isinia winced at her seat, knowing that it wouldn't be long before today's proceedings were ended, thanks to Sky's outburst. On the stand, Sky finally sat down, frowning and still trying to reign in his emotions. The permanent grin on Grutton's face truly conveyed the emotion he felt within.

* * *

Back on Earth, Barrett Van Tigue was seated in his living room, with two bright candles as the only light in the place. He took a sip of the champagne in his large glass and smiled as he looked across the table at his girlfriend, Mia Storm, who was dressed sexier than he had ever seen her before. With her hair perfectly placed and a low-cut black dress, she looked almost too beautiful to be real. 

"I'm glad you decided to come," Barrett said.

"To be honest with you," Mia said. "It was a hard decision. But, I care about you so much and I can't completely ignore that."

"Good, because I care about you too," Barrett said. "The thought of losing you saddened me so much. That's why I pulled out all of the stops tonight."

He reached under the table and grabbed a small gift-wrapped box, handing it to Mia. She sighed a bit, as she unwrapped her gift. Mia opened the box to find a silver bracelet.

"Wow," she said. "It's so beautiful."

"That's why I got it for you," Barrett said, with a smile, as he reached out his hand.

Mia took it, allowing him to clasp the bracelet on her right wrist. She pulled it close to her again, taking in its beauty.

"It's a perfect fit," Mia said. "How do you do that?"

"It's a gift," Barrett said, with a smirk. "And it's not the only one."

He reached under the table again and grabbed an LCD pad, which he placed on the table in front of Mia. She looked at the list of names and numbers on it and was surprised again.

"This looks like a phone book," Mia said, knowing it was the latest 2027 edition. "What are these names?"

"Lawyers," Barrett said. "If you want to get your daughter back, I suggest you pick a good one."

"I don't understand," Mia said, as she looked into his eyes.

"You pick any lawyer you want and we'll hire him...or her to take your daughter's case," Barrett explained. "I'll handle the bill. You handle the lawyer."

Part of Mia couldn't believe what she was hearing. She got up from her seat and rushed over, hugging Barrett. He pulled her onto his lap, where he began to kiss her. Mia allowed it. Their track record together had proved that she would allow a lot of things from Barrett.

This time, however, Mia knew that she didn't believe anything that Barrett had promised. That didn't matter. She knew that she was going to get her daughter back, even if it meant betraying the man who had silently betrayed her for months. In fact, that was exactly what she planned to do to get Anna back. So, she let him kiss her and even returned the favor with faked emotion, for she knew that soon she would be rid of his material love and back with her daughter.

* * *

The four B-Squad cadets walked into the Rec Room, all appearing to be fatigued from their battle. As Boom slumped down on the couch, he sighed. 

"Well, Rubexa's back where she belongs," he said.

Casey took a seat next to him and nodded along.

"Kat thinks this spy freed her. I wonder why. What did they have to gain by freeing a contained criminal?" she wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but whoever did it is in major trouble," Meg chimed in, as she stood next to Duc, who was staring off with his arms folded. She patted him on the back. "I'm sorry your meeting got cut short. I'm guessing you didn't find out anything?"

"No. The guy claimed he had a confession from my parents' killer on a voice recorder, but I didn't hear any of it before Rubexa showed up," Duc said, frowning.

"It'll all work out," Boom said, trying to stay positive. "If he's out there, he'll try to contact you again."

"Even if he doesn't, we know what he looks like now," Casey said. "We can run our own search."

Duc nodded and tried to muster a smile. He was unsuccessful.

"Thanks guys, for everything," he said.

As B-Squad contemplated the answer to the mystery informant and the S.P.D. spy, on the other side of town, Prax had arrived at his destination. He had wisely fled the scene after Rubexa's attack. Unlike his meeting with the B-Squad Yellow Ranger, Prax knew this one would end much better.

He walked into an abandoned warehouse. There was a single ceiling light on in the center of the large facility. Prax walked into the light, looking around for the figure he was supposed to meet.

"It's all right," Prax called out. "You're safe."

"The Sato child is not close to finding out my identity?" a quiet voice called out from the shadows.

"Not at all," Prax said, as he raised his hand, revealing the voice recorder.

Prax squeezed it in his palm as hard as he could until the device crumbled into a thousand pieces.

"I told you that you're secret would be safe," Prax said.

He heard footsteps approaching from the shadows. He watched closely as his associate, Blaze walked into the light. Prax knew that Blaze had many talents. Besides being an expert with explosives and a functional team leader, Blaze was practically indestructible, since he was a cyborg. But, that didn't mean he showed no emotion. Prax had to make sure that part of Blaze remained under control.

"The Yellow Ranger will never know that S.P.D.'s foe on Fernovia was the same one that killed his family," Prax decreed.

Upon hearing this information, Blaze smiled.

* * *

"It was Syd!" Sky shouted inside the anteroom adjacent to the Galactic Council Chamber. 

"That's impossible," Quinn said. "Why would Syd show up here and not tell us?"

"I don't know," Sky said. "Why would she disappear into thin air in the first place?"

"It doesn't matter now," Isinia spoke up, trying to calm Sky. "You handled yourself well on the stand until the end. I think you came off pretty good, as a whole, despite the outburst."

"Syd," Bridge said quietly, as he looked around, noticing Doggie had remained silent this entire time. "That's so strange that she would pick right now to come back and how would she get all the way here from Earth?"

"It wasn't Syd," Cruger said, sternly.

Supreme Commander Cruger stood by the window, staring out into the never-ending brightness of Andruss III. He hoped that he was right. He hoped that there was no way Syd could have been here. Given the media coverage of Sky's hearing, he truly hoped that she hadn't taken the chance to show up in such a public place.

As Syd closed and locked the door to her apartment, she watched Z still shaking her head.

"I can't believe it actually went down like that," she said to Syd. "You were so close to being discovered and Sky actually saw you?"

"I don't think he got a good look," Syd said, as she pulled down the hood on her sweater.

"Still, he called out your name," Z said. "Cruger's gonna be calling. I know it."

"I just hope it didn't hurt Sky's case," Syd said, as she sat down on the leather couch. "He can't get sent to prison."

"Isinia's gonna do her best to make sure that doesn't happen. But, I suggest you not try to help anymore with that," Z said. "We need to keep focused on our own business."

"You're right," Syd said. "I noticed Mia wasn't downstairs. I wonder what that means."

"We'll find out soon enough," Z said.

* * *

Several hours later, a shuttle docked inside the S.P.D. Headquarters landing bay. The lights were all dim, as most personnel were off-duty. As Bridge Carson and Quinn Gray exited the shuttle, Bridge couldn't help but yawn. Quinn shook his head. 

"I'm so glad I piloted. You would have had us halfway to another galaxy," Quinn said, as they approached the escalators.

As they approached the top, they noticed there was one being still awake. Sophie was waiting at the top.

"Hey," Bridge called out. "Thanks for waiting up."

"Well, I didn't do it for fun," Sophie said. "We had some trouble while you were gone. Our spy struck again and this time it almost cost B-Squad, big time."

"I don't like the sound of that," Quinn said.

"Can we wait until the morning to get into it?" Bridge asked. "It's been a long day."

Sophie quickly obliged, as the three made there way into the interior of the base. As the three of them went their separate ways towards their quarters, Bridge scratched his head and turned the corner, almost tripping over the sleeping boy lying by his door. Bridge looked surprised, as he knelt down and shook Sam's shoulder, waking him.

"Hey, Sam. Wake up."

Sam began to stir and as his eyes opened to see Bridge, he perked up.

"Bridge, you're back."

"Yeah, what are you doing sleeping out here?" Bridge wondered.

"There's something I had to tell you. Sophie said you were coming back tonight," Sam said, as Bridge led him into his quarters. "I have to talk to you. It's really important."

"What's up?" Bridge asked.

Sam waited until the doors had slid closed.

"I don't know if you've noticed but Piggy's been acting very weird lately," Sam said. "I've been paying close attention and I think I may have heard something."

"Heard something?"

"I think I heard Piggy sorta...confess," Sam said, nervously.

Bridge looked confused.

"Confess to what?"

Sam took a few moments to build up the courage to actually say the things he had been thinking. He took a deep breath and stared into Bridge's eyes.

"I think Piggy might have killed Z," Sam said.

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Verdict"**  
_Isinia & Grutton pull out all the stops in their closing  
arguments. The Galactic Council begins their deliberation  
to decide Sky's fate. After hearing Sam's thoughts, Bridge  
sets his sights on Piggy. Mia sets her plan into motion,  
as Syd tries to reach out to her. Sophie & Kat begin to  
question Pryce's actions once again. The verdict is in for  
Sky and a shocking death leaves lives changed forever._


	10. Verdict

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"VERDICT"**

"I think Piggy might have killed Z."

Bridge had replayed Sam's statement over and over in his head all night. As he sat at the chair to his desk and stared at the thirteen year old fast asleep on his bed, Bridge continued to ponder. Seeing how distraught Sam was, Bridge had suggested he stay the night, forcing the Blue Ranger to sleep in the chair.

Normally, Bridge would have been cranky as the sun rose after an uncomfortable night sleeping upright, but he didn't sleep. He found himself unsettled by Sam's revelations, which had continued into the night. Bridge thought back to his conversation with the kid.

"_What are you talking about?" Bridge asked. "Piggy's not a killer."_

"_And Z's not the type to commit suicide either!" Sam had answered quickly. "Piggy's been acting strange ever since Z died and I don't think it's because he's in mourning."_

"_But, Sam, nightmares about killing someone isn't the same as actually killing someone," Bridge said, shaking his head. _

"_What about this; I saved Piggy from falling off the roof only days after Z fell!" Sam revealed. _

"_What?" Bridge asked, looking shocked._

"_I don't know how he fell, but when I pulled him up, he acted like he had seen a ghost. He's been acting like that all the time. I even heard him call out to Z," Sam said. "There's no one else I can go to that will listen. If you don't believe me, then I'll just have to prove it myself!"_

As Bridge sat in the chair staring at the sleeping Sam, he sighed. It was hard to believe what Sam was saying. He had been greatly affected by Z's death. But, Bridge also knew Sam was telling the truth. He stood up from the chair and performed a handstand, invoking his thinking ritual, which often came in handy when he was faced with a conflict like this. Bridge closed his eyes and thought about everything he knew about Piggy, which wasn't much. Piggy was always closest to Z.

And that was when it hit Bridge. He opened his eyes quickly, as he realized that he shouldn't have been thinking so much about what he knew of Piggy. Instead, he should have thought about how much he knew of his teammate, Z Delgado. Bridge closed his eyes again and with the help of his psychic powers he remembered every conversation he ever had with her. She had never been suicidal. Cruger had attributed her suicide to her mourning over Jack, but Bridge also knew that Z wasn't mourning when she fell. She had celebrated Jack's life after the battle with Omallix had ended. As his own memories showed him, he truly knew that his friend wouldn't kill herself.

Bridge stood upright once more and took a deep breath.

"All right, Piggy," he said quietly, as not to wake Sam. "It's time to explain yourself."

* * *

Inside the Purgatory Lounge, Mia Storm arrived with a very large smile on her face. It wasn't a true representation of what was in her soul at that moment, but she knew it was what she needed to show the world. As she saw Lady Vishus strutting in from the back of the lounge, Mia was glad she had that smile front and center for Vishus to see, especially when she was greeted by Vishus' sneer. 

"You seem…perky," Vishus said, looking disgusted.

"Good morning, V," Mia said, as she laid her purse on the bar and walked behind it. "I take it you've heard the news?"

"Yes," Vishus said. "When Barrett told me you two were back together, I struggled to keep my breakfast down. Thankfully, it's only temporary."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mia said, as she stared her opponent in the eyes, never backing down.

"You don't honestly think you two will stay together forever?"

"I could say the same about you and Barrett," Mia said. "So, unless you want me to start campaigning for your release, I suggest you back off. Barrett made his choice. I'm here to stay."

Vishus huffed, showing her scowl, as she stormed out the front entrance where Mia had entered. Mia truly smiled after seeing that. In fact, she was so busy reveling in Vishus' annoyance that she didn't notice they had an audience. Syren Dean had been watching the entire time, standing at the doorway leading to the back of the lounge. Syd smiled.

"So, I guess things have blown over," Syd said, as she approached the bar.

Mia's smile faded as she looked at Syren, a woman she had embraced as a friend until she saw the video footage of Syren being groped by Barrett.

"That's none of your business," Mia said, frowning.

"What?" Syd said, giving her a look of surprise. "You've forgiven Barrett, but not me? Mia, nothing happened!"

Mia continued to frown as she listened to Syren explain. Mia believed every word she told her, but she also knew that she cared for Syren as a friend. If Mia was going to make _her_ plans work, she didn't want Syren to get involved. She was prepared to ruin her own life and Barrett's, but she didn't want Syren to get caught in the crossfire. Mia knew she could prevent that by keeping her out of the loop.

"I'm sorry, Syren," Mia said. "Barrett and I are going to be happy and I'm not going to let anyone stand between us. So, I don't think we can be friends anymore."

Syd's face fell, as sadness took over.

"Mia, don't do this," Syd said. "Your suspicions about Barrett—"

"My suspicions about Barrett no longer exist," Mia cut her off. "Just like our friendship."

Mia walked away, leaving Syd feeling terrible. Mia stopped for a second and glanced back at her. She saw Syren with her head lowered, staring at the bar. Mia hated to leave things like this. She forced herself to believe that Syren would understand eventually. After all, it was Syren who suggested Mia put herself first. Mia silently apologized to her friend, knowing she would do so in person once she got her daughter back.

* * *

On Andruss III, the day was already underway and there wasn't an empty seat in the Galactic Council Chamber, as Advocate Obla Grutton stood in the center of the room, ready to make his closing statement. Galactic Council President Otto Cali sounded the chime, signaling that proceedings had indeed begun. He looked to Grutton. 

"Advocate Grutton, you may proceed with your statement," Cali announced.

"Thank you, Mr. President," Grutton started.

After a nod to the president, he glanced at each of the six representatives seated at the altar.

"I believe I can safely say that this has been a difficult case for all sides," Grutton said. "But, that does not mean that you take the easy way out."

He pointed at Sky sitting at the opposing advocate table, next to the pregnant Mrs. Cruger.

"Officer Schuyler Tate took the easy way out. He ignored the rules and regulations of the organization that he swore to protect, rules that he swore to uphold. Officer Tate was blinded by rage on January 18th. He took justice into his own hands and he murdered another human being. S.P.D. doesn't work that way."

Grutton turned and walked closer to Isinia's table, casting his golden eyes down on Sky.

"S.P.D. was not founded to carry out vigilante justice. Omallix had committed crimes, for which he had been judged and contained. Since his escape, he again committed new crimes…for which he was never judged. Officer Tate answered Omallix's threats with more violence. Murder begot murder. Where does it end?" Grutton said, as he glanced at Cruger sitting in the first row of the gallery, directly behind Sky & Isinia.

"Officer Tate himself said in front of us all that he didn't believe he would be charged with a crime. He is the product of a community on Earth that allows Rangers to act impulsively and without considerate thought," Grutton said. "However, that does not absolve him of his crime."

"Officer Tate killed a human being in front of over a dozen witnesses. We only heard from a fraction of his teammates. From disappearances, to mysterious deaths, the Rangers of Earth were all clearly troubled by the events that took place there. Despite that, Officer Tate was the Red Ranger. If anyone should know the rules and follow them without fail it should be him," Grutton continued. "However, Officer Tate couldn't do that because when faced with Omallix all he could see was the monster that got away on his watch. The criminal that his father managed to bring to justice. Tate took his vengeance out on Omallix, vengeance that had festered within him for years."

Grutton approached the council altar again.

"When faced with the facts, I believe it is clear to see that Officer Tate made a fatal mistake," Grutton said, as he reached into his pocket.

He pulled out a blank containment card and held it up.

"Such a small thing," Grutton said as he glanced at the card. "And yet here we are."

Grutton slowly walked over to Sky's table and dropped the empty containment card there in front of him. As Grutton took his seat, Sky didn't take his eyes off the card.

Silence fell in the chamber, as not even a breath could be heard inside. Isinia took a deep one and made her way to her feet, grabbing her chair for support. She stood at her table, staring at the council altar, waiting to be recognized.

"Advocate Cruger, the floor is yours," Cali announced.

"Thank you," Isinia said, as she slowly walked around her table, keeping her eyes on the representatives.

"This case is about Sky Tate. However, when I think about the details behind the tragedy of this past year, a few other names come to mind: Supreme Commander Birdy, Officer G'laktu, Doctor Felix…Cadet Darren Miller," Isinia said, softly. "They are names that will never be forgotten because of their sacrifice. They were sacrifices that none of them ever knew they would make, but they all died at the hands of Omallix."

Isinia turned to face Sky.

"Sky Tate made a sacrifice. His decision to save thirty-two lives led to the death of one human whose name none of us even know," Isinia said. "He called himself Omallix. It sounds…robotic, inhuman, because that's what he was. He didn't care about humanity. He didn't care about life at all. What he wanted was destruction."

Isinia turned back towards the Council altar.

"Omallix vowed to destroy S.P.D. for containing him," Isinia said. "Every being on the premises of the Delta Command Base heard that decree. It was chilling, disturbing and it scared people. The only ones who remained unafraid to fight this evil were the Power Rangers."

Isinia looked directly at Representative Delphine on the right side of the altar.

"They fought and they struggled and then they fought some more. They never gave up. Leading them at every turn was Sky Tate," Isinia said, as she pointed at Sky behind her. "Sky felt a personal connection to this criminal. It was hard not to. He took such pleasure in his destruction. I know it. I witnessed Omallix kill our Supreme Commander, Fowler Birdy. He did it with pleasure and without remorse. He laughed at my fear."

Isinia walked back towards her table and faced the council. Once again she gestured towards Sky.

"This man showed no pleasure in what he was forced to do. He believed that his actions would spare not only human life, but the lives of aliens to Earth, like me and many others who were present. I believe Sky Tate made the right decision," Isinia explained. "We've talked a lot about extreme circumstances. Anyone who visited Newtech City in the wake of Omallix's preliminary attack knows that it was extreme. He orchestrated everything from attacks, to threats, to abductions, to murder."

Isinia walked forward towards the council members once again.

"I beg you not to tarnish S.P.D. Earth and Sky Tate's record by placing him in the same category. He has shown more humanity in his young life than Omallix could show in twenty lifetimes," Isinia pleaded. "Sky Tate acted quickly to stop this threat. He used the tools at his disposal. If you punished him for killing another human, you would be punishing him for being human!"

Sky could feel his emotions rising as Isinia spoke. He took a deep breath, as he hung on her every word.

"Throughout this hearing I've had the chance to study many of the rules and regulations memorized by Sky Tate," Isinia said. "At this moment I'm reminded of the Ranger code."

She glanced at each of the Council representatives, as she continued.

"A Ranger will not stand by when another Ranger is in trouble," Isinia quoted.

"Sky Tate went above and beyond that. His team was in trouble. We all were. There were no guarantees that anything in the S.P.D. arsenal would stop Omallix, but Sky Tate didn't back down. He didn't surrender. He didn't just stand by and let Omallix continue his path of destruction. Sky Tate acted to preserve his planet and its people. I know I'm thankful that he succeeded," she said.

Isinia rubbed her large stomach as she returned to her table and gingerly sat down. As she finally took a deep breath, she felt Sky's hand lower on top of her own. A small tear fell from her eye. Silence once again fell over the Galactic Council Chamber.

"That ends this phase of the hearing," President Cali announced from the altar. "The decision on this matter is now in the hands of the Galactic Council. We will begin deliberation after our midday recess. The Council extends its thanks to both advocates for their impassioned service."

With the sound of a chime, the fight was over. After the Council members had been ushered out the back of the chamber, the bystanders in the gallery began to disperse. Cruger stood and leaned over the gallery barrier and patted his wife on the shoulder. Her hand drifted to his, holding it there for a moment.

Isinia thought the tension would have been released after her closing argument, but she could still feel it penetrating every part of her body. It wasn't over yet. However, the only thing they could do now was wait. She glanced over at Sky, only to see him taking another look at the containment card placed on their table by Grutton.

* * *

Back on Earth, Kat Manx found herself walking beside Pryce Jensen, as she glanced at the small LCD pad that he handed her minutes before. Kat nodded as she read the report. 

"It looks good," Kat said, as she handed it back to him.

"Glad you think so," Pryce responded, with a smile. "I'm hoping these new security upgrades will help us trip up our spy."

"If you don't mind I'd rather not refer to him as 'our' spy," Kat said, seriously.

"…or her," Pryce said quickly.

"What?" Kat asked curiously, as she came to a stop in the corridor.

"You said 'refer to him'. The spy could be female," Pryce said.

"It's just an expression," Kat said. "Is there anything else?"

"Not that I can think of," Pryce said. "I was on my way to the Command Center. Can I walk you?"

"Uh, no," Kat said. "I have another meeting to get to."

"Okay. I'll see you later then," Pryce said as he began to walk away.

Kat didn't let him get far.

"Pryce," she called out.

He stopped in his tracks halfway down the hall and turned around to face her.

"I forgot to say good job before. Your modifications to B-Squad's weapons were quite effective. If it weren't for your quick thinking they might not have made it," Kat said.

"Well, thanks," Pryce said, with a smile. "We can discuss you…rewarding me later."

Kat rolled her eyes as she saw him turn a corner at the end of the corridor. Part of her took comfort in his hopeless flirtation. It made him seem harmless, even if she knew he might not be.

After a few more turns and a quick jog up two flights of stairs, Kat found herself heading for the Containment Room. When she arrived she found Sophie inside. She nodded to Kat as she entered.

"How's it coming?" Kat asked.

"I haven't been able to figure out who accessed the containment systems. They covered their tracks very well," Sophie explained. "But, it looks like Rubexa's card is now completely secure. The only problem is the spy may already know a way around it. B-Squad got lucky."

"If Pryce hadn't acted so fast, who knows what might have happened," Kat said.

As the two stepped outside of the Containment Room, Kat locked it manually, using the keypad on the right side of the sliding doorway.

"You know, I've been thinking about that," Sophie said, as they continued to walk. "Isn't it a little strange that Dr. Jensen could magically whip up that kind of technology right when B-Squad needed it most?"

"What are you getting at, Sophie?"

"I guess I still think he could possibly be behind all of this," Sophie said.

"If he wanted to get rid of B-Squad by releasing one of the contained criminals, why would he effectively save them with the weapons upgrade?" Kat asked, curiously. Then it hit her. "Wait. You think he set all of that up?"

"It's possible," Sophie said. "I want to trust him as much as you do. But, it's all kind of convenient, don't you think? If the spy had access to the Containment Room, why release only one card? There are dozens stored in there and frankly some are much more powerful than Rubexa."

"Interesting theory," Kat said, as they continued to walk. "But if Pryce is the spy and he released the monster to help make himself look less guilty, isn't it just as plausible that the real spy released Rubexa to make Pryce look more guilty?"

"Touché," Sophie said, with a smile. "I guess this is why I stick to technology."

As the two continued walking, Kat knew she couldn't completely defend Pryce, because she was still suspicious of his actions. But, she wasn't ready to jump to any conclusions just yet, either. Time, however, was running short. If they didn't locate S.P.D.'s spy soon, Kat feared what danger might lie just around the corner.

* * *

On the other side of the Delta Command Base, Piggy found himself sitting in front of a large plate, piled high with slowly rotting meat products, which had quickly caused the mess hall to empty. Piggy had the entire place to himself to enjoy his treats, which he intended to stuff down happily, even if no part of him had been happy in over a year. 

He glanced to his side at the bench where he was sitting. He saw his black cane resting next to him. It was a crutch, a constant reminder of the firewall massacre that had left him comatose for months. Piggy never imagined that his return to the land of the living would lead him to practical madness. He found himself yearning for that cold sleep he experienced.

"Remember me?"

Piggy jumped slightly, after hearing the light, almost devious whisper in his ear. He turned to see no one behind him. He shook his head, shrugging off the fact that he was just hearing things. He turned back to his plate, only to see her standing on the other side of the table, staring at him.

"You think this is going to help you forget me?" Z's haunting tone traveled heavier than the stench from Piggy's plate.

He could see right through her, but she was still there, staring directly at him.

"Leave me alone!"

"I can't do that, Piggy," Z's ghostly form responded. "Not even this platter of rancid road kill can save you from reality!"

"Reality?" Piggy shouted, as he threw his hands in the air. "You call this reality?"

"I call it payback," Z said. "But you can end it all. Don't you see that your conscience is calling you, begging you to tell the truth for once in your miserable life?"

Piggy closed his eyes, trying to shake off the ghost. He was leading a miserable life, but he was determined to escape it. His arrangement with Barrett Van Tigue, however, had hampered that plan. He supplied Van Tigue with all of the information he needed regarding Space Patrol Delta. He kept tabs on the Ranger Officers and cadets and he'd even spilled the beans to Van Tigue about Duc Sato's past.

But still, it wasn't enough. Van Tigue demanded Piggy stay. It seemed so simple to Barrett, but he wasn't the one being haunted by a friend he had murdered. As he sighed, Piggy hoped that Van Tigue would just spring his big plan so Piggy could finally be rid of S.P.D. and his ghost-filled conscience.

"I can't apologize anymore!" Piggy shouted, with his eyes still wired shut.

"Apologize for what?"

Piggy's eyes popped open as he heard Bridge Carson's voice.

"Bridge," Piggy said nervously, as he saw Carson approaching from the mess doors. "I didn't see ya there."

"I was a little hungry," Bridge said, as he walked over to one of the food dispensers which instantly created a plate of four pieces of perfectly buttered toast.

Bridge grabbed the plate and placed it directly across from Piggy, who was shocked to see Bridge sit down there, despite the odor coming from Piggy's plate.

"Comfy?" Piggy asked, sarcastically.

"Very," Bridge said, with a smile, as he bit into his first piece of toast, which left Piggy looking confused. "You know, I'm glad I ran into you, Piggy. I was just thinking about Z. That happens a lot, I guess, when someone close to you dies. The same thing happened with Jack. What about you?"

"What about me?" Piggy repeated, looking confused.

"Do you think about Z much?"

"No," Piggy said, quickly lying. "The only thing I'm thinking about is this big steaming pile of flesh in front of me." Piggy waved his hand over the plate, sending some of the unpleasant aromas in Bridge's direction, but the Blue Ranger didn't seem phased by it at all.

"You know, Piggy, Z always liked eating in this mess hall," Bridge said. "Even though we had our own Rec Room area, she was always a people person."

"Look, Bridge, I gotta go," Piggy said, finally, realizing that Bridge wasn't leaving.

He couldn't risk another ghostly appearance from Z causing him to freak out in front of Bridge.

"Wait for me," Bridge said, as he stood up at the same time. "We can walk and talk and eat together. We haven't had time to catch up. It's been so long. You're not in a rush are you?"

Piggy's annoyance with the conversation was growing by the second. He looked Bridge in the eye, and then smiled.

"You're right, Bridge," Piggy said. "Why don't you grab a few more slices of toast and we'll take a nice long walk."

"Good idea," Bridge said, as he walked back over to the dispenser.

Within seconds, Bridge's psychic senses alerted him to Piggy's departure. He turned back to see Piggy had managed to slip out the doors after Bridge's back was turned. Bridge nodded his head.

"So you _are_ hiding something," Bridge said, looking troubled.

* * *

Quinn Gray had been kept in suspense for too long. It was a common oddity in the universe. When one craved information about something, there never seemed to be anything or anyone around to aid them. However, if he had been trying to purposefully ignore this situation, he was sure that he would have been inundated with information about it. As he looked around the empty hover-tram gliding across the streets of Andruss III, he shook his head. 

It was the first time that he had ever been aboard one of the vehicles with no other passengers. The sophisticated hover-trams didn't have drivers, so there was no living thing onboard that Quinn could ask about Sky's hearing. As the hover-tram came to a stop in front of the Galactic Council Center, Quinn hopped off and saw his half-brother sitting on a bench alone in the front courtyard. Sky seemed to be staring off at the sky above. Quinn almost smiled, as he walked over.

"Is it over?" Quinn said, unable to hold in his curiosity. "Did I miss it?"

Sky looked over at the approaching Green Ranger.

"You missed the closing statements," Sky said.

His tone conveyed to Quinn that he had been sitting there deep in thought.

"So no ruling yet?" Quinn asked, as he looked down at Sky.

"No. The Council isn't starting deliberation until after a break," Sky explained.

Quinn looked confused, as he realized that Sky wasn't a free man, yet.

"I didn't see your security," Quinn said. "I assumed it was all over."

Sky pointed off in the distance. Quinn glanced in that direction and saw the two officers talking leisurely amongst themselves. He sighed, as he sat down next to Sky on the bench.

"Sorry," Quinn said, shrugging. "I'm glad I didn't miss it though. I wasted too much time waiting for Bridge only for him to tell me to go ahead without him."

"What's up with him?" Sky asked.

"I don't know. He said he had something he needed to take care of on Earth," Quinn said. "For what it's worth, he said he had a good feeling that the Council wasn't going to convict you."

"I wish I had that feeling," Sky said.

"So, how did closing statements go?" Quinn asked.

"Isinia was…amazing," Sky said. "I hate to say it but Grutton was good too. I have no idea how it's going to play out."

"Who knows? By the end of the day, you could be home," Quinn said, optimistically.

"Home?" Sky said, as he stood up and walked a few meters away from the bench. "What kind of home would I be going back to?"

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked, confused.

"I was just sitting here thinking about the possibilities. If the Council finds me not guilty and I go back to Earth, my career is still gonna be ruined," Sky explained. "It'll always be tarnished by this. How can I expect any of the cadets or officers to look at me with any kind of respect?"

"I think you're overanalyzing," Quinn said. "I've been there and all I've heard are people wishing you well. I think they'll respect you a lot more for pulling through this a better person. I mean, look at us. I never thought we'd actually have civil conversations."

Quinn stood up to face Sky at eye level.

"It'll be fine," Quinn said. "Everyone will be glad to have you back. You'll swear we're all pod people!"

Sky couldn't help but smirk at hearing that.

"What about the criminals? They won't be happy," Sky said.

"Frankly, they're usually scum, so I don't think anyone really cares what they think," Quinn said.

"Still, how can I arrest someone after all of this? Every single one of them will be calling up advocates claiming brutality," Sky said. "And what about the civilians? It will go down in history that I killed another human being. It'll never be the same again."

Quinn placed a hand on Sky's shoulder. He wanted to tell Sky not to punish himself over anything that might happen in the future. They both knew that the future couldn't be predicted. But, as Quinn saw Sky staring off in the distance again, he decided not to tell him anything. If Sky needed to contemplate a future outside of prison, then that was fine with Quinn, because it meant that Sky still had hope that he would get the chance to prove himself to Earth once again.

* * *

Friday nights at the Purgatory Lounge on Earth meant that Syren Dean would be giving an encore performance. The afternoon before any Syren Dean show always meant there was constant activity going on inside the lounge. Cleaning drones made sure the floor was spotless, the lounge's manager supervised the perfect arrangement of the furniture and the night's star rehearsed. 

Despite the bustling activity around her, Syd preferred to rehearse inside the main hosting area, to be sure that her voice made use of its acoustics perfectly. As she sipped from a bottle of water in between her singing, she couldn't help but gaze across the room at the booth in front of the lounge's main window. It was Barrett's favorite spot whenever he spent time in the area. She couldn't help noticing him sitting there, with his arm around Mia. As she watched Mia whispering happily in Barrett's ear, making him smile, Syd couldn't help but feel worried.

Barrett was a charming man and to the naked eye he might seem more of a lover than a fighter, but Syd still didn't trust him. Whether Mia wanted her friendship or not, she couldn't help but fear that Mia was getting herself deeper into trouble.

"Syren."

Syd was knocked from her stare, as she heard her alias being called out from behind her. She turned to Rogi, her pianist, who was seated at the piano.

"Sorry, Rogi," Syd said. "I got lost in thought there for a minute."

"It's no problem," Rogi said, as his fingers glided across the white and black keys on the old style instrument. "I was just wondering if you were ready to continue. But, I can see you're a bit preoccupied."

Syd noticed Rogi gesture towards Barrett & Mia, who weren't paying the two any attention. Syd took a seat on the bench next to Rogi.

"It's not what you think," she whispered.

"It's dangerous to even watch is what I think," Rogi said, seriously.

"I know," Syd said, as she glanced again at Mia out the corner of her eye. "But, I miss her friendship."

"Well," Rogi said with a sigh. "I guess you just have to hope that the times you had were valuable enough to help her remember."

"Thanks," Syd said, with a smile, knowing Rogi was right.

If she couldn't be Mia's friend anymore, she at least hoped that Mia had taken all of their talks to heart and hopefully remembered her warnings about Barrett.

Inside the booth, Mia nibbled on Barrett's ear, as he glanced over at Syren sitting at the piano, smiling with Rogi. Barrett's face turned serious. Mia could feel him get tenser. She followed his gaze to its source. Barrett noticed Mia looking.

"I'm truly sorry," Barrett said. "Syren's beautiful, but she's not you."

"I know that," Mia said, smiling. "I'm back here, aren't I?"

"I've been thinking, what if tonight's encore was Syren Dean's last?"

Mia's smile faded quickly.

"What are you saying?" she wondered.

"I want to prove to you that I'm not going to stray. So, if you say the word, tonight will be Syren Dean's swan song," Barrett revealed.

"No," Mia said, without much thought.

She tried not to appear too eager to save Syren's job, but she didn't want her fired. If her plans to get her daughter back succeeded, Mia knew she wanted Syren to remain as a friend. She had to keep her close in case she needed her.

"Really?" Barrett said, looking surprised.

"Look, I've cut Syren off completely. I have no interest in ever being her friend again. But…I can tolerate her if it means Purgatory continues to prosper. I know how much you love this place and whether I like it or not, Syren's become a part of that," Mia said, as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Deep inside, she hoped that he bought her explanation.

"Okay," Barrett said, with a slight smile. "Syren stays."

"Good," Mia said, as she kissed him. "Now, in honor of us being back together and tonight's special encore, I'm going to go home and change into something spectacular."

Barrett's smile grew wider.

"Be careful. I may have to put you on stage!"

Mia waved him off, as she stood up and grabbed her purse. As she exited the lounge, Barrett's gaze fell back on Syren Dean, now standing on the stage and humming along as she directed Rogi on the sound she wanted to perfect. Barrett couldn't help but stare.

* * *

With the talk of a possible verdict approaching in the hearing of Sky Tate, the Solaris Café on Andruss III was packed. The establishment, made entirely of glass, was only a block away from the Galactic Council Center and many of the attendees of the hearing ate there. Mr. & Mrs. Doggie Cruger were no exception. As Doggie sipped his brown Marssipian tonic, he looked over at his wife, who hadn't touched her plate at all. That was unlike her. Her pregnancy had left her with an extremely healthy appetite, but at the moment, she appeared to be completely oblivious to the food in front of her as she sat with her chin resting on her hand, staring at the table. 

"You did wonderfully," Cruger said finally.

The sound of his voice caught Isinia's attention, but she never heard what he said.

"Huh? What did you say?"

"I said you did wonderfully," Cruger repeated. "You're thinking about your closing statement?"

"Actually, I'm just thinking about the whole hearing," Isinia said. "Wondering if I did everything I could. I guess all advocates go through this."

"I'm sure they do," Cruger said. "But you don't have to worry. You did your best."

"There's a lot at stake," Isinia said, as she grazed her plate of taruffian nuggets with her fork.

"You don't have to remind me," Cruger said. "The Council knows that the decision they make is very important."

"If Sky's found guilty, Doggie, I don't know what I'll do," Isinia said, with a sigh.

"Isinia, you can't stress yourself like this," Cruger said, more seriously, as he leaned across the table and took her hand. "I'm starting to regret asking you to be Sky's advocate."

"Don't," Isinia said. "I'm fine and I'm glad I did this. I just don't think I'll rest until it's all over."

She tapped the communications device on her ear.

"And I'll jump for joy once I can take this thing off!"

The two shared a smile, until Isinia noticed another table on the other side of the café. Her smile faded. Cruger noticed.

"What's wrong?"

"Obla Grutton has company for lunch," Isinia said, suspiciously.

Cruger turned to see Representative Delphine leaving Grutton's table. Isinia heard a low growl come from her husband. The Crugers were seated close to the nearest exit, which is where Delphine was headed. Isinia wasn't going to let her go without a word.

"Representative Delphine," Isinia called out as Delphine passed, appearing to be in a rush.

"Why hello, Advocate Cruger," Delphine greeted her with a polite bow, which she repeated again, for Doggie. "And greetings to you as well, Supreme Commander."

"Did you enjoy your lunch?" Isinia asked.

"It was satisfactory," Delphine said.

"We couldn't help but notice you eating with Obla Grutton," Doggie said, choosing not to beat around the bush.

"Actually, he joined me," Delphine said. "The advocate wanted to thank me and the Council again for being patient with his unorthodox methods."

"Well, the Council was extremely accommodating to us all," Isinia said. "I just hope that your attention to the nature of this case extends to your deliberation."

"I can assure you, we will handle it with the utmost care," Delphine said, as she bowed again. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must return to begin the proceedings."

Delphine left quickly, as Doggie grumbled again, watching her go. Isinia, however, had her eyes planted on Grutton. When he finally noticed her staring at him, he raised his glass, saluting her with a silent toast. Isinia's eyes narrowed on him.

"I didn't like that one bit," Doggie said, of Delphine's interaction with Grutton.

"I've always hated politics," Isinia said, as she continued to stare at Grutton, believing she had something to fear now.

* * *

As Piggy scampered through the corridors of the Delta Command Base, he wanted to head for the nearest exit, but he knew if he did that, he would be visited by Barrett Van Tigue, and honestly that was a fate worst than any ghost, Piggy thought. Instead of fleeing the premises, he headed for his quarters, which he hoped would provide refuge from the annoyance of Bridge Carson. But, Piggy forgot one thing about Bridge. He knew the Delta Command Base better than Piggy did. 

As the caramel-colored alien turned the corner, he almost jumped out of his skin, as he saw Bridge Carson leaning against the wall next to the doors to Piggy's quarters, with his arms folded.

"Piggy!" Bridge said, excitedly upon seeing him. "You're here. I've been waiting for you."

"No kidding," Piggy grumbled under his breath, as he hobbled past Bridge and input the security code for his door, purposely hiding it from Carson.

"Yeah. You left out of the mess so fast we didn't get much time to catch up. How have you been?" Bridge asked.

"Fine, dandy, feeling like a million bucks," Piggy said, as he waved his cane at Bridge sarcastically.

"Nagging injury huh?" Bridge rambled. "I can understand that. I mean it has taken me a very long time to get used to having this cybernetic arm. I know you were in a coma when I first got it, but it was definitely a rough patch."

Piggy rolled his eyes, begging for the pain of this conversation to end.

"You know, I remember sometimes sitting up late at night in the Infirmary talking to you, thinking that maybe you could hear me in your coma. Could you hear me?" Bridge said, as he looked curious.

"No!" Piggy said, quickly, as he shuffled into his quarters.

"Well," Bridge said, as he placed a foot over the threshold of Piggy's room.

Piggy quickly stepped into the doorway, preventing him from coming all the way in.

"I have to say, we had some fun late night talks, even if you don't remember. You know, maybe if I told you all about them, it could jog your memory because I've always heard that people in comas could sense other presences around them," Bridge said, with a big smile. "Haven't you heard that?"

"You know Bridge, I'd much rather forget about the last year of my life," Piggy said.

"Okay, I can understand that too. Let me tell you it's been really rough for me too. I mean, besides the arm thing I've had to deal with leading the team and Jack's death…and Z's death," Bridge said, looking for any clues from Piggy's behavior.

He did notice Piggy getting tenser by the second.

"Yeah, really tough," Piggy said, half-listening.

"So maybe what we should do, buddy, is talk about the past!" Bridge said, looking as if he had a bright idea. "I could ask you questions and accuse you of things and you could play it cool and blame S.P.D. for the problems of alien society and tell me to get away from your food stand like you used to! Of course, you don't have a food stand anymore. I never told you this but I was really sorry about it exploding and everything."

"Yeah thanks. Your sympathy is overwhelming," Piggy said, appearing extremely bored.

"So what do you think?" Bridge said.

"No!" Piggy said quickly, before shutting his doors and locking Bridge out.

Bridge turned away from the door and sighed, knowing he was close to making Piggy crack. He smiled as he turned back to the door and began pressing the door chime repeatedly.

"Come on, Piggy!" Bridge said, knowing Piggy could hear him inside. "It'll be fun!"

On the other side of the door, Piggy dropped his cane on the floor, allowing him to fully cover both of his ears from the sound of the chime. He lowered his head.

"What's wrong Piggy? Bridge getting to you?"

Piggy's head popped up quickly as he heard her voice.

"You're back" Piggy said, practically whispering.

"Where did you think I was gonna go Piggy? Mars?"

"I was hoping for someplace a little further actually," Piggy said sarcastically.

"Tired of me already? We'll we've got an eternity, so you better get used to it," Z said, firmly, in her ghostly whisper. "That is, unless you're planning on finally coming clean and tell the truth. Bridge is right outside. You can confess. Tell him everything about your sleazy deal with Van Tigue and how you destroyed me and it'll all be over. I'll leave you to live out your fate in peace!"

Piggy continued to cover his ears, but now he was also shaking his head back and forth, trying to ignore her.

"The living is more dangerous than the dead!" Piggy shouted.

"What?" Bridge called out from the corridor. "Who are you talking to?"

"You!" Piggy shouted at the doorway. "Leave me alone, Bridge!"

"Oh come on Piggy," Bridge pleaded. "It could be like old times. I'm thinking of cool things to accuse you of already."

Piggy shrugged as he turned away from the doorway and walked towards his bathroom, looking to put another barrier between him and Bridge. As he walked, Bridge continued talking loudly.

"I could accuse you of withholding information. That's one you'd remember well! And things like stealing and harboring criminals and…murder," Bridge said.

Piggy stopped in his tracks as he heard that word. Behind him, Z's ghostly form appeared once more, smiling.

"Uh oh, Piggy," Z said, slyly. "It looks like someone may be on to you."

Piggy knew if that were true, there would be no safe place inside Space Patrol Delta Headquarters for him. His sense of fight or flight was kicking in big time and for Piggy there was only one choice between the two.

* * *

A few levels away, Commander Kat Manx made her way to the main science laboratory inside the Delta Command Base. She held tight to the large LCD pad she had in her hands, which were clasped behind her back. She reached the doors to the lab and took a deep breath. She stepped forward, causing the doors to slide open. 

Kat stepped inside and saw Dr. Pryce Jensen standing at a large table, monitoring a completely dismantled B-Squad blaster. Kat walked in a little further, knowing her heels were hitting the marble flooring. Pryce, however, didn't even look in her direction. Kat stood there watching him scan a few parts of the blaster, until finally he spoke.

"Come to reminisce about your former glory?" Pryce said, with a smirk.

"Actually," Kat said, as she walked closer. "I have a confession to make. What are you working on?"

Pryce looked instantly interested in her at that point. He dropped his tools on the table.

"I was just checking B-Squad's weaponry to make sure the new power packs integrated properly," Pryce said, before smiling. "But it can wait! Now, what's this about you wanting to confess something?"

Kat noticed him step even closer to her, gazing into her eyes and giving her the flirty glance she had become used to since their first meeting. He got closer, as he saw the sly grin on Kat's face.

"Well," she said, practically whispering, which caused him to come closer. "There's just something I haven't been able to stop thinking about."

"Oh really?" Pryce said, smiling. He moved his face closer to hers. "Something about me?"

"I have been dying to know…" Kat said, as Pryce was close enough to feel her breath on his skin. "…how much you know about internal message routers."

Kat's sly grin was quickly replaced by a look of utter seriousness that took Pryce by surprise. He stepped back a bit, looking confused.

"Internal message routers?" he said. "I know they're extremely complicated and in order to use them, one would have to completely dismantle the matrix of their communications portal to make it work. Why do you ask?"

At that moment, Kat dropped the LCD pad she had been carrying behind her back, placing it on the table in front of Pryce, who scooped it up and instantly knew what he was looking at.

"What the hell?" Pryce said. "The spy's coded message used internal message routers. I studied it and they were clearly external!"

"No, you studied the decoys," Kat said, remaining serious.

She pointed to a separate set of readings on the pad, showing Pryce.

"I can't believe this," Pryce said, as he looked troubled. "They were so complicated."

"They might be…for someone who isn't familiar with twenty year old S.P.D. technology," Kat revealed. "They were the same routers used when S.P.D. was first established."

Pryce picked up on her annoyance and apparent anger.

"You're not blaming _me_ for not figuring that out are you?" he said.

"Pryce, come on! This is elementary tech knowledge compared to what we know now," Kat said.

"Exactly!" Pryce said, angrily. "I was a kid when S.P.D. first started. How was I supposed to know the spy was using some old S.P.D. code to throw us off?"

"You claimed to be the best at what you do, yet you missed this," Kat said, still upset. "I'm wondering what else you may have missed."

"Look, I'm glad you figured this out. Maybe it will help us narrow the suspect list," Pryce said, trying to look hopeful.

"I didn't figure it out," Kat said. "Sophie did. Last time I checked, she wasn't even activated when that code was in place and yet she knew exactly what it was."

"You had Sophie checking up on my work?" Pryce said angrily.

"It's a good thing too. We might have been stuck in the same place for weeks if I hadn't," Kat said, as she walked closer to him. "Pryce, this is very…troubling. You've been so distant and you're obviously hiding something."

"Why do I sense an accusation coming?" Pryce said, looking incredulous.

"Maybe because there should be one coming," Kat said, sadly. "I can't ignore the facts. You came here from Galaxy Command. I can't imagine you didn't come across this code there. You had the access to Boom's quarters and you clearly know how to work with internal message routers."

"I can't believe this. You know me better than that!" Pryce said.

Kat stared at him for only a moment, before heading for the exit. She stopped at the doors and turned back to him.

"I wish I knew you better than that," Kat said. "Pryce, if you want me to believe you aren't the spy, then I suggest you find me another viable suspect."

Kat walked quickly out of the laboratory, leaving Pryce behind. He glanced at the pad once more before throwing it across the room in anger.

* * *

The Galactic Council's Assembly Hall was one of the largest spaces inside the Galactic Council Center. It was also the most highly restricted. The Assembly Hall was where all of the Council's official decisions were made. It was designed for comfort and accessibility. The walls were lined with the flags representing each of the twelve planets that were governed by the Galactic Council. In the center of the hall were seven stations, constructed in a circular pattern, allowing all of the Council members to face one another at all times. Specially-made to fit their physiological specifications, each of the Council member chairs were decorated with a colored sash which matched the sash worn by the Council Representatives. The Galactic Council President's chair was flagless. On both sides of each seat were raised control panels. 

With all six of the representatives seated, President Cali glanced at each one of them. They all looked ready for the task ahead. He hoped they were.

"We all know the rules. We are here to discuss our thoughts on the case against Officer Tate. Please keep in mind that it is possible your opinions could sway others. So let us begin deliberation," Cali spoke, his voice echoing through the hall.

Since the case originated on Earth, Representative Alaina Doherty was given control of the floor to begin the discussion.

"As you all know, I am deeply disgraced at what happened on my home planet," Doherty spoke somberly. "This will remain a black stain on Earth's S.P.D. history. However, nothing presented in this hearing has shown me that Sky Tate was disloyal in the least."

The Divalian representative, Karina Kevlar shook her head.

"He broke the rules that we set forth for him to follow," Karina said. "It's very hard to look past that."

"Some might say that rules were meant to be broken," Representative Trecineas spoke from his chair. "I know it can be hard to understand extreme circumstances when you've never put on the suit…"

Several of the other representatives began to give silent objections to the Triforian's statement, as shown in their negative body language.

"But I know that safety is S.P.D.'s priority and it is the Rangers' duty to make sure safety is maintained," Trecineas. "I don't think I could look Mrs. Cruger or her soon-to-be newborns in the eye again if I told her Sky Tate shouldn't have destroyed Omallix that day."

"I can understand that position," Representative Pheon spoke from his station, two seats away from Trecineas.

Pheon respected Trecineas. However, Pheon represented the reclusive Barconians, despite being a native of the planet Lynx. The planet he represented had lost respect for Trecineas in the wake of the destruction of one of their convoys near Triforia. Most Council procedures were more daunting for Pheon since he was required to relay all information to the Barconians and then carry out their wishes. Even now, the additional computer terminal at his side allowed him to type in everything that occurred so that the Barconians were kept in the loop. They did not like what they heard. Pheon sighed.

"Is that a personal opinion or the opinion of Barconia?" Kevlar asked, curiously.

"It's personal," Pheon sighed. "The Barconians believe that Tate was wrong in his actions. They agree with Advocate Grutton's statements that Sky Tate is a product of his S.P.D. training. They believe that a message needs to be sent that this type of behavior will not be tolerated."

"Oh please," Trecineas said, annoyed. "We know they're taking a dissenting opinion as a way of showing more disdain for Triforia. That's not fair to Officer Tate. They can't disagree, just because I agree."

Pheon threw his arms up in the air, conveying to Trecineas that he had no choice but to be Barconia's messenger, even if he disagreed with their decisions.

"Well, I also agree with the Barconians," Kevlar said. The demure alien geriatric was forceful in her words. "What if Grutton's right? Do we really want to hear more of these cases in the future? If Officer Tate goes unpunished incidents like this may increase."

"But we're not allowed to judge based on possibilities, Karina," Doherty said, seriously, as she stared into the eyes of the Divalian seated directly to her right.

"It's true that there should be some punishment given to Officer Tate," Trecineas said from across the room. "Censuring him could show that we are in firm disapproval of his actions. A guilty verdict would take away his Ranger status and that could be a regretful decision."

As Trecineas spoke, President Cali watched each of the Council Representatives. Delphine showed quiet interest as always, but Representative Urgundii of Fernovia, seemed more quiet than usual. As for Cali, he was rarely involved in deliberation discussions, since he was not allowed a proper vote unless there was a tie. He redirected his attention to Trecineas, who continued.

"I hate to bring up history again, but Officer Tate is his branch's Red Ranger. Before the creation of this Council, Rangers destroyed planetary monsters without such harsh criticism. I think we can all agree that Omallix was a menace," Trecineas said. "Delphine, you can attest to this situation on Earth better than any of us, even Alaina."

It was true that during her tenure as Aquitar's White Ranger, Delphine led her team to Earth, where they aided the Rangers there against dangerous forces like Lord Zedd, Master Vile and The Machine Empire. Delphine, however, seemed to be shaking her head in disagreement.

"I know the situation on Earth from personal experience. It's true," Delphine said. "However, this case is not that cut and dry. Fighting and destroying creatures created using dark sorcery is different from destroying a being that was born of blood and raised in a community. Omallix was not a monster."

"That is a fact," Kevlar agreed.

"His DNA may have been human, but his actions were inhuman. That I can attest to. Being human myself, it disgusts me to even acknowledge Omallix's heritage," Alaina said, angrily. "Honestly, I wish this could have been dealt with as an internal Earth matter."

"No," Urgundii spoke for the first time.

All eyes turned to him.

"This may appear to be an Earth matter, but there is clearly a ripple effect that influences us all," Urgundii said seriously. "If it were handled on the planet, without Galactic interference, it may have been swept under the rug and that would be the true travesty. S.P.D. Earth has to be responsible for its actions."

"I agree," Alaina spoke, sincerely. "But that doesn't mean I will make Sky Tate guilty for an entire S.P.D. branch."

"It's a matter of rules," Kevlar stated. "Officer Tate broke them."

"But if it were just about rules, why would we have a Council?" Alaina said, desperately. "If it were just about rules, why not have a simple machine-generated judgment give us an instant verdict? Maybe because that would make us no better than the robot who destroyed Ivy Square."

Urgundii was listening closely now. He bowed his head, as he processed what Representative Doherty was saying. President Cali also processed, knowing that this deliberation had become more intense than most. It was an intensity that he figured would continue today.

* * *

Hours later, the sun had set on Newtech City. To the naked eye it would appear to be almost 2 a.m., given how quiet it was inside the Van Tigue mansion. It was however, only approaching 9 p.m., Mia knew as she glanced at her watch. She knew she was due back at Purgatory at nine for Syren's evening performance. Barrett preferred her to be behind the bar during busy hours. 

Mia, however, had another job to complete. As she continued to rummage through Barrett's dresser drawers in their bedroom, she came up empty in her search for the key to the desk in Barrett's office. She sighed, coming to the conclusion that he must have taken it with him to the lounge. Mia walked out of the bedroom and peeked down the staircase, making sure she heard no one.

She remembered Consuela telling her that she planned to visit a sick relative today and she had not returned yet. Mia walked quickly across the hallway and opened the door to Barrett's office. She closed it and walked over to his desk, hoping that he might not have locked the desk drawers. Her hopes were dashed as she couldn't open the top drawer in front of her or the three on the right side of the desk. Mia leaned back in Barrett's chair and searched her brain for a solution. Running out of time, Mia made her choice.

She grabbed the letter opener sitting on top of Barrett's desk. She plunged it into the small lock on the bottom right drawer. After a few forceful twists, the lock was broken. Mia opened it and sighed, as she saw only stacks of blank paper, unused LCD pads and a few pens. She moved up to the next drawer and found stacks of envelopes and receipts. Most were bills for the mansion. Mia shook her head and moved onto the highest drawer of the three. As she broke the third lock, she realized there was no turning back. She opened the drawer and found several file folders, categorized by numbers.

Mia quickly began thumbing through them, looking for something, anything that she could use against Barrett. Mia knew that if she couldn't trust Barrett to help her get her child back, then she'd have to play the other side. Memories of hearing Barrett's phone conversation referencing plans came back to her.

"_The robot did what?" Barrett asked, appearing to be delighted. "That's perfect. I can't believe it's all coming together. My plans are finally going to happen. I'm glad you set our cyborg friend straight, Prax. He did his job and so did you. I'll talk to you at the club tomorrow."_

_Mia watched Barrett end his call with Prax, as Vishus stood up from his chair and walked over, patting him on the shoulder._

_"Sounds like things went off without a hitch," Vishus said, slyly._

_"Even better," Barrett said, with a smile. "More than I ever could have hoped. I'm one step closer to getting everything that I want and I may have ensured that Space Patrol Delta has no way of stopping me."_

Exposing Barrett's dark connection to robots and his apparent plans to the right people could get Anna back in her arms. So, Mia kept searching. She knew that if Barrett was making his plans in this office, there had to be some concrete proof. Then, her finger found the golden nugget. She pulled out a file folder and laid it on Barrett's desk, opening it.

Mia's eyes grew wide as she found herself looking at order forms, letters and printed emails all referencing something called Delta X. As she continued to search through the papers she found pages of blueprints. The first set of blueprints showed what appeared to be circuitry, inside of a human-looking male. She looked surprised to see the other blueprints depicted robots…with S.P.D. insignia.

As she thought back to Barrett's phone conversation, she became confused. If Barrett's plans included these S.P.D. robots, why would he have mentioned Space Patrol Delta having no way of stopping him?

* * *

"Come on, Barrett! You can't be that blinded by love!" Vishus yelled inside Barrett's other office, in the back of the Purgatory lounge. 

In the background, they could hear the soothing sounds of Syren Dean, already singing. Vishus raised her hand to the wall, looking angered.

"Syren's already started!" Vishus said. "And Mia's still not back yet. Don't you think that's a little suspicious?"

"I called her already, V," Barrett said, looking calm. "She said she's running a little late."

"Her turnaround after I showed her that video was disturbing and you should have heard how she talked to me earlier. We need to keep closer tabs on her. I'm convinced something else is going on," Vishus sneered.

"Mia will be here," Barrett said.

"Yes, I'm sure she will. But the question is what will she be bringing with her!" Vishus said, angrily, as she stormed out of the office.

Barrett sighed, as he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, allowing Syren's voice to invade his brain. His attempt to relax, however, was cut short by his ringing cell phone. He took a deep breath and answered.

"Hello? What? Piggy, calm down. What's going on? I'm sure you're just overreacting, as usual," Barrett said, as Piggy continued to speak frantically on the other end. "I'm sure that he's not on to you. Besides, you haven't done anything to warrant their attention."

Barrett rolled his eyes, as Piggy continued to talk.

"No one saw you kill that Ranger, right? Exactly. Piggy, just stay calm and have a drink or something," Barrett said.

He frowned as Piggy seemed to object.

"Piggy, no! Do not leave S.P.D. Headquarters. No, don't come here," Barrett said, forcefully. "Piggy, I'm warning you. If you back out of our deal, I will hang you from the ceiling by your nose!"

As he heard Piggy hang up, Barrett did the same. He slammed the cell phone down on his desk and stormed out of the office.

* * *

Back on Andruss III, the Galactic Council Chamber was a packed house for the final time. Isinia had gotten the call that the Council had reached a verdict after three hours of deliberation. Seated next to Sky, she held his hand, as the Council members were getting situated on the altar. Behind Isinia and Sky, Cruger watched the Council intently, hoping to gleam some clue to their votes. But, as Cali conferred with his assistant, Tawke, Cruger could not see anything from the representatives that gave away the verdict. 

Seated next to him, Quinn could feel his pulse quicken. There was some light chatter amongst those in the gallery, as most seemed to be telling their predictions. Quinn never put much weight in predictions, especially knowing that this case would have only one of two outcomes. Sky would come home or go to prison.

As President Cali finally took his seat, he called the hearing to order for the final time. He glanced at both advocate tables, as all chatter stopped instantly.

"I would like to begin by thanking everyone for your respect and attention during this hearing and for coming together so quickly," Cali announced. "The Galactic Council Representatives have made their decisions. For those new to the process, I should say that is rare that the Council votes unanimously."

As Cali spoke, Sky didn't raise his eyes. He sat staring at the table. Doggie, however, had his eyes intently on the Council altar, as most in the chamber did.

"The Council Representatives have not revealed their votes to anyone, not even each other," Cali explained. "So, at this time, I will open the floor to the representatives. As always, they will each give a short statement about their vote and cast that vote, using the electronic beacons located in front of them. Do you understand, Officer Tate?"

Sky lifted his head to gaze at Cali.

"Yes, sir," Sky answered quickly.

"Then, let us begin," Cali said, as he turned his attention to the first representative, seated at the end of the altar on his right. "Representative Karina Kevlar of Divalia is first."

As her panel lit up, signaling that she was going to speak, all eyes were on Kevlar.

"As I said when this hearing began, for me, this case is about the facts," Kevlar spoke, her voice oozing with grace, despite its age. "I was faced with many opinions during testimony and deliberation, but the fact that most affected me was that life was taken. For S.P.D. to thrive, we must abide by our rules and be held accountable by them."

Kevlar extended her hand to her electronic beacon. It would either turn green or red, depending on her vote. As it lit up, Isinia felt her heart skip a beat. The beacon was red.

"Guilty," Kevlar said solemnly.

A few surprising gasps were heard in the gallery, but they were quickly stifled. All eyes quickly shifted to the next Council member on the altar, Representative Pheon.

"I represent the Barconians, as all know," Pheon said. "Personally, I believe that the verdict to this case should be obvious, but as with most things, issues are subjective."

As Pheon said that, he glanced down the altar at Representative Trecineas.

"So, I sit and I do as the Barconians wish. They feel that Officer Tate's actions in not loading the containment card constituted the use of brutal force without due cause," Pheon said, his voice tinged with anger.

He quickly extended his hand and activated his beacon, turning it red.

"Guilty," Pheon said, his expression showing his distaste for Barconia's decision.

Isinia squeezed Sky's hand a little tighter, as he simply stared forward, accepting his fate. Representative Alaina Doherty was next on the altar. Her gaze had fallen in the wake of the last two votes, but as the white panel in front of her lit up, she raised her head, letting the room see her troubled face.

"I stated at the beginning of the hearing that my vote would hinge on duty and whether I felt Sky Tate did his duty," Alaina explained. "I believe that Officer Tate dutifully protected Earth as best he could."

Alaina activated her beacon, which gave Sky his first look at what a green non-guilty beacon looked like.

"Not guilty."

His eyes closed briefly, as he sent her silent thanks. Next in line was President Cali. His vote would only come into play if there was a tie amongst the Council. The panel in front of the next representative to his left lit up. Representative Trecineas glanced at Sky briefly, before his gaze shifted to Supreme Commander Cruger.

"I based my vote on whether I believed Sky Tate carried out his mandate to serve and protect. Testimony given here before the Council convinced me that these were extreme circumstances. Officer Tate still managed to overcome," Trecineas explained, as he extended his hand towards his beacon.

"Not guilty," Trecineas revealed as the beacon turned green.

A few whispers were once again heard throughout the chamber. It was natural, given that now the Council's votes were tied, with two representatives left. Seated to the left of Trecineas, Delphine's panel lit up next. From his advocate's table, Obla Grutton watched her intently.

"Honor," Delphine stated immediately. "It is a quality cherished on my home planet of Aquitar. I stated early in this hearing that my vote would depend on how the ideals behind this case were presented. I find that the line between good and evil was much easier to see after weighing all of the evidence."

Several interested parties held their breath, as her arm extended towards her beacon. With her eyes planted squarely on Obla Grutton, Delphine cast her vote.

"Not guilty," Delphine said, confidently.

Isinia was one of the interested parties who finally took a breath. She could feel Sky's sweating palm in her hand. She glanced at him and saw that he hadn't moved an inch. He was still sitting there, staring forward, expressionless. Sky now had three votes in his favor and two against. There was still one more representative.

The panel in front of Representative Urgundii of Fernovia lit up.

"I talked a lot about emotion and destruction when we began this hearing," Urgundii said. "Control is a major issue for me. Because emotion can be so strong, it can cloud us and our judgments. It is imperative that we maintain control of this powerful force, especially in the wake of terrible circumstances. Though it is hard, I have tried to place my personal emotions aside. If unleashed, our emotions can cause us to do desperate, dangerous things. Unfortunately, I don't believe that Officer Tate had that control."

Even before Urgundii's hand activated his beacon, most knew what his vote would be.

"Guilty," Urgundii spoke, somberly.

Quiet chatter began to build in the Council Chamber, as President Cali called for order.

"In the wake of a tie vote, the deciding decision is always made by the Galactic Council President," Cali said. "That means that it is up to me."

Several beings in that room were once again holding their breath with anticipation, as Cali looked to Sky Tate. Their eyes met, as Cali spoke.

"Officer Tate, principle counts for a lot, as does dedication, respect, honor and integrity. I find that you have those qualities in abundance," Cali explained.

Sky continued to look into Cali's eyes, never breaking their gaze. He could feel Isinia squeezing his hand once again.

"However," Cali said, sternly. "Based on the principles upon which Space Patrol Delta and this Council was founded, I feel I have no choice but to find you guilty."

At that moment, several shocked gasps were heard throughout the chamber. Quinn looked shocked, as he turned to look at Doggie, who had his gaze fixed on President Cali. Quinn could sense that the Sirian was also surprised by Cali's announcement.

Without words, Sky rose to hear his sentence. Isinia, still holding his hand, also rose, slowly.

"Officer Tate, you have been officially found guilty by the Galactic Council for violation of S.P.D. rules and regulations. As such, the penalty of imprisonment is cast down. You are hereby sentenced to one year of incarceration. Your sentence is to be served immediately," Cali revealed, as he activated the chime in front of him. "This case is over."

Several shocked voices filled the chamber immediately. Many of the journalists behind him, where shouting questions, but Cruger heard none of them. His eyes stayed focused on the Council altar, as President Cali stood. The representatives around him were already making their way out of the chamber. Alaina Doherty, however, remained standing there, watching the crowd murmuring loudly. Cali glanced at Cruger, before leaving.

Still standing, Sky watched the familiar guards who had been assigned to him. They were walking towards him, holding cuffs. As he prepared to release Isinia's hand, he realized that she was no longer squeezing it, like before. Sky turned to see tears falling from her eyes. He noticed she looked pale, as her hands had moved towards her stomach.

"Isinia?" Sky said, quietly.

The voices in the gallery were getting louder, now that the Council had departed. Obla Grutton rose from his seat and walked over to the two.

"Advocate Cruger, I want to thank you for being a formidable opponent," Grutton said, extending his hand.

Isinia looked at him, through narrow eyes, as she collapsed to the floor, still holding her stomach.

"Isinia!" Cruger yelled, as he rushed to her side.

"Isinia," Sky called out louder, as most of the bystanders were now trying to get closer.

The officers assigned to take Sky into custody, took a hold of him.

"Wait!" he yelled to them. "I just—wait!"

Sky tried to go to her side, but they cuffed him, and forcefully pulled him from the chamber, as Quinn was forced to watch.

"Isinia!" Sky yelled, as the doors slid closed, blocking him from the people he considered family.

* * *

Inside Barrett Van Tigue's home office, Mia Storm stood frozen in front of the fax machine, holding the papers that she was sure would set her free. After further study, she figured that Barrett must have been planning to use the S.P.D. drones against the organization if they interfered with his plans. But, as she stood in front of the fax and loaded the papers into it, she couldn't figure out where she was sending them. 

She began to pace, subconsciously rubbing her right wrist. The silver bracelet Barrett had given her rested there. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and contemplated calling information to get a possible fax number for Space Patrol Delta. After imagining how strange that call might be, she thought twice.

She grabbed the papers and dropped them back on Barrett's desk, as she looked troubled. Mia tapped her cell phone on her chin, thinking. Just as her brain thought to simply copy the documents, she heard a car door. She rushed over to the office's window and saw the black car in the mansion's driveway.

"Oh no," Mia said. "No. No. No."

As Mia began to panic, she squeezed the phone in her hand tighter. It was then that she thought of one alternative. She opened the cell phone and began taking photographs using the small device. She tried to keep her hand steady, as she heard the front door of the mansion open and close downstairs.

After a few more snapshots, she dialed the number to send them to. As the call connected and she could see the photos emailing out, her breathing got more labored. She heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She tried to gather all of the papers back into their folder, just as she heard the footsteps pass the office door and stop. Mia had turned on the lights in the office, given the darkness outside. As she saw the doorknob begin to jiggle, she tossed her cell phone out the window, breaking both.

The door swung open and Mia saw who it was, coming towards her. She had the blueprints for the Delta X project in her hand, as the figure barreled at her.

"No! Stop!" Mia yelled. "I didn't—"

Mia's scream pierced the walls of the mansion, but within seconds it was over and silence once again reigned inside the Van Tigue mansion.

* * *

Inside an anteroom of the Galactic Council Center, Sky sat with his hands cuffed, rocking back and forth, unable to hide his apprehension or his worry. One of the two guards assigned to escort him to prison was standing behind him, as the doors slid open and Quinn Gray entered with the other guard. 

"Sky, I'm so sorry," Quinn said, before the doors could even close behind him.

"How's Isinia?" Sky said, revealing his true priority.

"I don't know. They rushed her to the hospital. Representative Doherty told me that it's a very good one," Quinn said. "But, I haven't heard anything yet. What about you? You okay?"

"I'm…I don't know what I am," Sky said, as he tried to compose himself.

At that point, Sky nodded to one of his guards. He picked up Sky's duffel bag and placed it on the table. He unzipped it and took out five LCD pads that were inside. Sky slid the pads across the table, towards Quinn.

"Is this why you wanted to see me?" Quinn asked.

"I need you to deliver these for me," Sky said. "Please?"

"Of course," Quinn said, as he began to gather the pads.

"They're letters for Bridge, Commander Cruger, Isinia…and Syd," Sky said.

Quinn looked confused.

"I don't know how I'll be able to deliver that one," Quinn said. But after a moment, he nodded. "But I will."

"Thanks," Sky said. "There's also a letter there for you. You can read it whenever you want."

"Okay," Quinn said, quietly. "I should probably get to the hospital."

"We need to be going as well," one of the guards said. "The transport will be leaving for Fenix Prime soon."

Sky took a deep breath and nodded in reluctant agreement, as he stood up.

"Oh, wait a minute," Sky said, as he gestured towards his bag.

The guard slid it to him. Sky reached his cuffed hands inside and pulled out the photograph of his father. He extended his hands, offering it to Quinn.

"I want you to take this," Sky said.

"No," Quinn said, somberly. "Sky, you should keep it. I have a feeling you're gonna need him more than I will."

"I don't want anything to happen to it," Sky said. "Please, take it."

After a moment, Quinn took the photo. He glanced at Nathan Tate's image there, before looking back at Sky. Quinn gathered up all of his strength.

"Sky, you're gonna survive this. I know it. It's only a year," Quinn said.

Sky simply nodded, as he was escorted out by his security detail.

* * *

Inside the Delta Command Base, Kat Manx sat her desk, awaiting word. She had heard from Quinn shortly before he left to hear the verdict in Sky's hearing. She wished she could have been there to support Sky, but she had problems of her own. Little did she know that one of those problems had been standing outside her office door for almost a minute. Finally he pressed the door chime, catching her off-guard. 

"Come in," Kat said, as she looked over, seeing Pryce Jensen walk in.

He was carrying a large LCD pad. Kat presumed it was the same one that she had handed off to him, detailing the facts that he had missed with regards to the coded message sent by S.P.D.'s spy. As Pryce took a position in front of her desk, he took a deep breath.

"You have something to report, Doctor?" Kat asked, keeping her tone serious and professional so Pryce would know that she was not joking in their earlier encounter.

She was half-surprised that he looked deadly serious himself.

"Actually it's more like an announcement," Pryce said.

A look of confusion crossed Kat's face.

"What do you mean?" Kat asked aloud.

Pryce handed her the LCD pad in his hand. Kat glanced at it. It only took a few seconds for her to realize what she was reading.

"It's my official resignation," Pryce said.

"Pryce, what are you doing?" Kat said, looking surprised.

"I'm leaving," Pryce said, angrily. "If you believe I'm a spy and that I'm here to undermine your command, then I should go."

"You can't leave," Kat said.

"My resignation says otherwise," Pryce said. "I'll be waiting for your signature."

Pryce headed for the exit, as Kat stood up.

"Pryce, wait!" Kat said, but he didn't listen.

Kat stood alone in her office, staring down at the resignation letter in her hand.

Meanwhile, outside the Containment Room, another hand was keying in a security code that caused the doors to the room to slide open. The figure walked into the deserted room, carrying a small box. After accessing the containment terminal, S.P.D.'s spy gained access once again to the containment cards stored there. After a few meticulously planned minutes, the figure was gone. Six containment cards were now also gone.

* * *

"Mia!" Barrett Van Tigue shouted as he rushed up the stairs to his house. 

After seeing the broken window of his office from outside the house, Barrett knew something was wrong. As he opened the door, the first thing that caught his eye was the silver bracelet, dangling from Mia's wrist.

Barrett was speechless, as his face went pale. He slowly walked towards her. As he got close enough to touch her legs, he fell to his knees. He buried his face in her feet, as they hung, along with the rest of her body, from a light fixture on the ceiling. A single drop of blood from Mia's mouth fell onto his hand, staining him. Barrett managed to raise his eyes to look up at her face.

At that moment, Lady Vishus appeared in the doorway, looking as devious as ever. The smell of her invasive perfume let Barrett know she was there.

"Why?" he said quietly. "Why did it come to this?"

Vishus did not answer. She simply stood there, looking up at the eyes of Mia Storm. The look of terror was still in Mia's eyes. Only someone who had taken a human life would notice it. Lady Vishus noticed it.

* * *

As Piggy exited the cab that had picked him up outside of the Delta Command Base, he looked around, making sure he wasn't followed. He hobbled across the street using his cane, as the sign outside Purgatory was still shining brightly. He walked right past it and headed for the alley behind the lounge. Barrett Van Tigue may not have wanted him to come there, or to back out of their deal, but Piggy didn't have a choice. He couldn't face Z's ghost anymore. So, he prepared himself to meet a fate worse then death, even though he assumed the fate would in fact, be death. 

As Piggy disappeared into the alleyway behind the lounge, a single light approached the area. Piggy was worried about facing Z's ghost, but he had forgotten about the onslaught of Bridge Carson. Piggy assumed that after Bridge gave up outside his quarters that it was over. He wasn't that lucky. The white patrol cycle rolled quietly into the darkened east side of town. Bridge dismounted around the corner. He had tracked exactly where Piggy was going, using the tracking scanner on his bike.

Bridge took off his helmet and crossed the street, looking confused, as he read the Purgatory lounge sign. He was about to follow Piggy into the alley, when he heard a familiar sound. Bridge turned back. He walked slowly towards the front of the lounge, where the large picture window looked out upon the seedy part of the city. As he peeked in the window, he saw something that truly shocked him.

He quickly identified her golden locks, her blue eyes, her welcoming smile and her distinct voice. Bridge, however, still couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Syd?"

* * *

The journey from Andruss III to Fenix Prime seemed to go by faster than Sky ever expected. As the shuttle approached the red planet, Sky didn't need to glance out the windows to know where he was headed. He knew that the Myers Detention Facility on Fenix Prime was where most human criminals were sent when they committed crimes that didn't lead to containment. 

Soon, he was escorted out of the shuttle, wearing a red jumpsuit, with black letters etched on the back that read PRISONER. Still cuffed, his two escorts led him towards the rooftop entrance doorway, where two uniformed prison guards were waiting. They were so large in stature that they appeared to be genetically enhanced. He hadn't seen humans as tall or muscular before.

Once they had gotten to the doors, the guard on Sky's right handed his counterpart an LCD pad.

"Prisoner #810," the guard said.

The prison guard nodded in his black hat.

"Schuyler Tate…S.P.D. Officer," the prison guard grinned. "The boys are gonna love you!"

One guard took a hold of Sky and ushered him inside. He looked back only briefly to see the shuttle take off, as the second prison guard closed and locked the rooftop entrance.

"You better get a good night's rest," the prison guard said. Sky read his name tag but didn't bother to introduce himself to Sonsky. "The warden's gonna want to meet you in the morning."

After a series of stairs and corridors that Sky couldn't identify due to the darkness of the facility, Sonsky pushed Sky forward down a long hallway. As Sky began to pass bars, he knew he was entering the cellblock. After almost a minute of walking past cells, Sonsky grabbed Sky's arm, as his partner unlocked the cell door.

Sky couldn't even see what was inside. A small light in the ceiling outside the cell, only allowed him to see that there were metal-railed bunk beds inside. He couldn't see if one of them was occupied.

"Can I get some light?" Sky said quietly.

"You're too late, Tate. It's lights out," Sonsky said quickly, before walking away with his partner.

Sky watched them go, but could only see shadows as they passed under the intermittent lights in the hallway. Sky stared straight ahead, through the bars at the cold concrete wall that was opposite his cell. He took a deep breath, as he allowed a tear to fall in the darkness.

It was then that Sky heard movement behind him. He turned around, only to be met with a fist, which collided with his face instantly. The force of the blow knocked Sky to the ground. As he tried to regain his senses and stop the ringing in his brain, Sky heard the voice of his cell mate.

"Welcome to hell!"

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Cells"**_  
In the wake of his imprisonment, Sky deals with life  
behind bars. Syd is shocked to learn of Mia's death from  
an unlikely source and she's forced to comfort Barrett. The  
Galactic Council meets to discuss the future of SPD on Earth.  
Dr. Sevarus' treatment for Isinia after her collapse may  
force Doggie to face his own past. Kat deals with Pryce &  
the spy's latest moves. Bridge & Syd come face-to-face._


	11. Cells

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"CELLS"**

Given the late hour, the halls on the top floor of Galaxy General were dim. It made the hospital seem more comforting to its patients as they slept, given the never-ending daylight on Andruss III. One of those patients never noticed the difference. Isinia Cruger had not awoken since her arrival at the facility. As her husband stood in the hall, staring in at her through a window, he wished with every fiber of his being that she would awaken.

Supreme Commander Anubis "Doggie" Cruger never heard the light footsteps approaching him.

"Sir?"

Cruger turned to see one of his most trusted officers. Their somber faces practically matched, despite the difference in their species.

"Quinn," Cruger said softly.

"How is she?" Quinn asked, as he peeked in the window.

"The doctors here stabilized her," Cruger said. "But there's not much they can do. Sirian medicine isn't very popular, given there are only two of us."

"I'm sorry."

"They believe she may be having an adverse reaction to the injections," Cruger said, as he grumbled, silently knocking his fist against the glass. "The shots were supposed to be helping her."

In his heart, Quinn didn't know exactly what to do in this situation. Part of him wanted to leave his commanding officer alone with his grief. But he had come to the hospital with a mission.

"Sky wanted me to check in with you two," Quinn said, sadly. "Of course, then I realized there was no way for me to let him know what I found out."

"You came anyway," Cruger said, as he glanced at Quinn. "Thank you. I guess Sky's transport left?"

Cruger had wanted to say goodbye to Sky, to reassure him that their fight was not over, but circumstances changed in an instant after Isinia's collapse in the Council Chamber.

"Yeah," Quinn responded, as he reached into the gray duffel bag he had in his hand. He pulled out two LCD pads. "He asked me to give this to you."

Cruger took both of them into his hands. Quinn sighed, as he saw Cruger look at both of them.

"One of them is for Isinia," Quinn revealed.

Cruger nodded and without a word, he entered his wife's room, leaving Quinn in the hallway. Cruger slowly walked towards her, knowing he couldn't touch her. The doctors had placed her in stasis behind a powerful force field, suspending her condition so that it wouldn't worsen until they could find a solution. But Isinia couldn't remain in that state for very long. The danger would force her to lose both of the offspring she carried within her.

Cruger placed Sky's letter to her on the table next to the bed, as he took a seat at her side. Cruger stared at her for a moment, before activating the pad in his hand. As the text appeared, he sighed. He looked at Isinia and knew that if she was awake, he would tell her everything Sky wrote to him. He didn't want to wait.

"Dear, Commander Cruger," Cruger read aloud. "If you're reading this then it means that I'm on my way to prison. I know that you did everything you could to help me. You gave me hope and courage to face my fate. You even gave me your wife, showing me that you were truly committed to my cause. But now, I guess it was a futile one. I want you to know that I'm sorry. You have no idea how much honor I wanted to bring to your S.P.D.. I tried my best and on this I have failed. But you should know that as long as I breathe, I will continue to strive to make myself better, to make myself into the man you taught me to be. You, sir, are the image I see when I look at my badge. That part of me may be ripped away, but I'll never forget the image. Even now, as I find myself on a perilous road, I'll take comfort in knowing that the future is bright, because your legacy will shine brighter than all of the stars in the galaxy."

Cruger ended the letter and closed his eyes, hoping to feel his wife's hand on his shoulder. He needed it now more than ever and he knew that Sky could use a few helping hands of his own.

* * *

As Sky Tate began to pull himself up off the floor, he felt two hands gently clutching him from behind. 

"Sorry," his cellmate whispered into his ear.

As Sky got to his feet, he jerked himself away from the man's grip. Sky immediately moved to the other side of the cell, glaring at his cellmate.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Sky yelled.

The man raised a hand, motioning for Sky to stay quiet.

"You don't want to annoy the guards," the man said, as he walked closer to Sky, only to have the former Red Ranger push him across the room.

"Stay away from me," Sky said. This time, however his voice was a bit lower.

"I'm sorry," the man said, whispering again, as he walked over to the desk beside the bunk beds and turned on a small lamp.

He positioned the light so that it wouldn't shine out into the corridor. But, it did allow Sky to get a better look at his cellmate. He wasn't what he was expecting, given the punch to his face. He appeared to be an inch or two shorter than Sky and had dark skin. He was wearing a red jumpsuit exactly like Sky's and they appeared to be the same age.

"Why did you punch me?" Sky said, keeping his voice low.

"This isn't summer camp," the man said. "We've all got reps to protect. You're S.P.D. and I couldn't risk any of our neighbors thinking we're gonna be bosom buddies."

"You don't have anything to worry about where that's concerned," Sky said, angrily, as he now saw that he could probably take this man down, if he needed to.

"Like I said, I'm sorry."

"How did you know I'm S.P.D.?" Sky asked, curiously.

"Word travels fast," the man said. "The name's Cash Donovan."

"Cash?" Sky said, as he raised an eyebrow at Cash.

"You're one to talk…Sky! It's actually Cassius," Cash said, as he extended a hand in greeting. "But, everyone calls me Cash."

Sky took one look at his hand and rolled his eyes.

"I'll pass," he said, rejecting the gesture.

"Oookay," Cash said, as he hopped up onto the top bunk. "The bottom one's yours. Turn the light off before you turn in."

Cash turned his back to Sky, who glanced back out at the bars for a second, before turning back to his new cellmate.

"How long you been here?" Sky asked.

"You talkin' to me?" Cash asked quietly, without turning over.

"Yeah," Sky said, never removing the seriousness from his tone.

"Almost two years," Cash said, as he turned over to face Sky.

"That's a long time."

"And I'm not even halfway home yet," Cash said, with a smirk.

"You make it sound like you actually like it here," Sky said.

"Once you get to know me…if you choose to, you'll see that it's actually the exact opposite," Cash explained. "But, moping around won't make the five years go by any quicker."

"Five years?" Sky said, showing his surprise. "What did you do?"

"Armed robbery," Cash said, with a straight face.

"Five years on a prison planet for armed robbery? In this day and age? You gotta be joking?"

"Wish I was," Cash said. "But that's what happens when you cross the king of Maqua II."

"You stole from the planet's king?"

"Yep. I took his most precious possession…the princess," Cash said, with a sly smile. "But that's not what I was convicted for taking."

As Cash told Sky his story, he reminded him of his fallen friend, Jack Landors. Both Jack & Cash had a style of speaking that always came off as confident, whereas with Sky it came off as arrogant. Both were also obviously ladies' men.

"She wanted to buck tradition and follow her heart," Cash continued. "Who was I to object? But when her father got wind of it, he wouldn't have it. Maqua tradition doesn't allow princesses to fraternize with outsiders. So, I suggested we start our own tradition, far far away."

"She agreed?" Sky surmised.

"Yep. We got pretty far too, but then her dad's troops got involved. So, she decided to go back to protect me. She gave me her necklace to remember her by and then she was gone," Cash explained.

"But that wasn't the end of it obviously," Sky said.

"Nah. That's when my fatal flaw kicked in. I have this problem taking no for an answer," Cash said. "Especially when the fairer sex is involved. So, I commandeered his general's tank and I headed for the castle."

"You didn't?" Sky said, looking surprised.

"Oh yeah," Cash revealed. "I wasn't gonna actually destroy anything. I was just trying to…make a statement. So, I stood on top of the tank and poured my heart out. She didn't come out. The guards did, though. They arrested me and since I was still carrying her necklace, I was in possession of one of the crown jewels of Maqua. Her dad called in a few favors and here I am, as far away from Maqua II as possible and with five years to think about why the hell I even bothered."

"Ouch," Sky said.

"Yeah, sucks to be me," Cash said, as he laid his head back on his pillow. "But, at least I've still got my good looks to pull me through."

He smirked. Sky rolled his eyes again, as Cash's resemblance to Jack Landors popped up again.

* * *

Inside the Purgatory lounge, Syren Dean had just finished her encore performance. As she smiled happily on stage in her white sequined gown, she took in the applause from the all-male patrons who had come out to enjoy her voice. 

"Thank you all," Syd said, beaming. "It was my pleasure, as always. Please, give a round of applause for Rogi, my favorite pianist, for his talents."

As a steady applause continued, Syd nodded to the alien man sitting at the piano, as he gave a cordial nod of thanks to those applauding. He looked at Syd.

"Syren, I think they want more," he said slyly.

The applause seemed to get louder, but Syd was not going to oblige them any further on this night.

"Oh, you know me, Rogi," she said, with a wink. "Always leave them wanting more."

It was a requirement of her assignment to perform, even when her target wasn't present. Still, Syd was surprised that Barrett Van Tigue had not put in an appearance on this evening. As she stepped off the stage and made her way past the tables, shaking hands and accepting more compliments from the audience, she glanced over at the bar and noticed that Mia was also absent tonight. Secretly, Syd winced thinking that Barrett & Mia were probably together, further consummating their reunion.

Syd refocused, as she continued to walk past each table, making her way towards the booths at the very front of the lounge, near the entrance. She accepted a rose from one gentleman. While smelling it's sweet fragrance and thanking him with a brief hug, she was disgusted, knowing that he might be a criminal. But Syren Dean was never picky, no matter how much Syd wanted to be. Behind her, Rogi had already begun playing a new tune to fill the lounge with music, even without a singer present.

She tried to use the time to not think about Mia and to ignore her worries about her friend continuing a relationship with Barrett. But, it still didn't make sense to Syd. As she continued to walk past the booths giving cordial nods of thanks, a hand grabbed hers, a bit forcefully. Syd stopped and glanced down at the man sitting alone in the booth closest to the exit. She had practiced making these quick contacts and moving on to the next.

"Such a lovely voice," the man said, in a whisper.

"Why thank you," Syd said, not even bothering to look into his eyes. "It's always nice to welcome new listeners."

"You mean you don't recognize me?" the man whispered again.

Syd let out a sigh, annoyed with herself that she might have offended a customer. The man was wearing a large-brimmed hat which didn't allow her to see much of him.

"I'm sorry. I guess I should have said welcome back," Syd corrected herself. "It's great to see you again."

Syd turned to leave, when the hand gripped hers a little tighter.

"Is that all you have to say for an old friend?" the man whispered again.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Syd said, trying to muster her perkiness, even though she was getting more annoyed.

"Look a little closer," the man said, as he used his finger to tip his hat up, revealing a very familiar face.

Syd couldn't stop her jaw from falling.

"Bridge!" Syd said, whispering. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm investigating!" Bridge said, keeping his voice low. "Better question! What are you doing here?"

Syd plastered another fake smile on her face, as she patted his hand and looked around, making sure that no one was paying her too much attention anymore. She leaned in closer to Bridge.

"I can't talk about that," she said. "You need to go."

"I'm not leaving," Bridge said, looking worried. "Not until you tell me what you're doing hanging out on the dark side!"

"It's…complicated," Syd said. "Trust me when I say that I can't say anything."

"Could _Piggy_ say something?" Bridge said, looking suspicious.

"Piggy?" 

"Yeah. I followed him here," Bridge revealed.

Syd looked surprised.

"Piggy's here?"

"I lost sight of him outside this place. That's when I saw you through the window," Bridge said. Noticing Syd's nervousness, he pressed on. "What's going on, Syd?"

"Shhh," Syd said, not wanting anyone to hear her real name in the lounge. "Look, if Piggy's here I need to go. I can't let him see me. It would ruin everything."

"I don't understand," Bridge said. "Ruin what?"

"Just go back to Headquarters and ask all of these questions to Commander Cruger or Kat. I can't answer. Not here, not now, but they can," Syd said. "Please, you have to let me go."

Bridge released her hand and watched Syd attempt to slip out of the hosting area. She was rushing as slow as she could, so that no one would believe that she was fleeing the area. As he watched her disappear into the back of the lounge, Bridge became even more troubled at what was going on in S.P.D. right under his nose. After that brief chat with Syd, he was certain that she had to be undercover, but he didn't know why. He was, however, determined to find out.

* * *

In the alley behind the Purgatory lounge, Piggy found himself pacing, as he held tight to his black cane. Finally his hand grazed the handle of the door that would take him into the back of the club. As he took a deep breath, ready to accept his fate, the door swung open from the inside, knocking Piggy into a small puddle in the alley. He looked up to see who had emerged. 

"Well…hey there, Prax," Piggy said, nervously. "Fancy meeting you here. I was just…uh…examining your gutter water. Looking for a new blend to have with my breakfast."

"Shut up, Piggy," Prax said, as he grabbed Piggy by the arm, pulling him off the ground with excessive force, causing Piggy to squeal. "Barrett told me that you might be coming here. He also said that he told you not to!"

"I had to get away from Space Patrol Delta," Piggy said. "You don't understand. When I'm there, it's like I'm going crazy and now I think one of the Rangers might be suspicious!"

Prax groaned, as he grabbed his silver cell phone from his pocket. He had Barrett on speed dial. But, he was surprised to hear no answer from his boss. Prax looked troubled.

"Well, you can't stay here," Prax said, angrily. "Your presence could incriminate Barrett, so I guess you're going to have to come with me!"

Prax dragged Piggy out of the alley forcefully by the arm, as he hurried to keep pace with the insectoid alien.

"Easy…easy with the arm…please," Piggy said, under his breath, scared to speak up to Prax.

* * *

As the sun beamed down on Newtech City the next morning, the Delta Command Base was already bustling with activity. Inside Kat's office, Sophie stared down at the LCD pad in her hand, still not sure she believed what Kat had shown her. 

"He's really resigning?" she said to her Commander.

"That's what he said. He was really upset that I didn't trust him," Kat explained. "I have to tell you, after seeing him like that, I think my trust is returning."

"So you don't think Dr. Jensen is the spy?" Sophie asked.

"Honestly, I don't know what to think anymore. I know we need him. He's got a brilliant mind and S.P.D. Earth would be better off with him here," Kat said.

"…unless he's the one trying to sabotage us," Sophie added. "In which case, he should go."

"That's true. But, if he's not the spy, then we still have a traitor in our midst and we won't have Pryce's help in finding this other person," Kat said.

"So what are you going to do?" Sophie asked. "Are you going to sign it?"

"If I sign that resignation, I have a feeling I'd be making a huge mistake, whether Pryce is the spy or not," Kat said. "But I have no idea how to approach him about this anymore."

"It would be so much easier if we could trip up this traitor and get some concrete evidence," Sophie said.

At that moment, Kat's door chime sounded. She glanced over to the doorway and took the resignation letter back from Sophie, placing it on her desk.

"Come in," Kat said, wondering if it was their suspected spy.

The doors slid open to reveal Doctor Shivan Sevarus. Kat gave him a welcoming smile, but she quickly noticed he didn't return the gesture. Instead, Dr. Sevarus looked upset.

"Doctor, what's wrong?" Kat asked, as her own smile faded.

"I just got a communication from Galaxy General on Andruss III," he said. "Isinia was rushed in last night. There's a problem with the pregnancy. She collapsed at the Galactic Council Center."

"Oh no," Kat said, as she walked around her desk to get closer to Sevarus. Sophie stood as well.

"Is Mrs. Cruger okay?" Sophie asked.

"They've put her in stasis," Sevarus said. "Her condition is fragile."

"Wait," Kat interrupted. "She collapsed _before_ the verdict?"

"No," Sevarus said, as he lowered his eyes. "Officer Tate was found guilty."

At that moment, Kat realized why she never heard from Doggie about the verdict. Isinia's collapse no doubt had him preoccupied. Kat sighed.

"I can't believe it," Sophie said, as she processed the verdict. "Bridge is gonna be so mad that he missed it."

"Well, I came here to tell you that I'm taking a shuttle to Andruss III," Sevarus explained to Kat. "I'm the closest thing S.P.D. has to an expert on Sirian medicine and Isinia is my patient."

"I'm going with you," Kat said quickly, as she looked back at Sophie. "Tell Bridge what's happened and let him know I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Of course," Sophie said, as Kat & Sevarus were already out the doors.

* * *

On the Eastern side of Newtech City, an old sputtering silver sedan turned a corner, headed for the Van Tigue mansion. Behind the wheel, Consuela Vargas, Barrett Van Tigue's trusted servant was surprised to see police vehicles parked outside of the mansion, as yellow tape surrounded a portion of the sidewalk, near the long driveway. As she stopped her car almost a block away, she noticed the police cars were traditional style, not those used by the planet's Space Patrol Delta force. She grabbed the full bag of groceries from the back seat and began walking towards the property. 

As she got to a small area of the sidewalk, with yellow police tape blocking it off, she saw a pastel pink cellphone crushed on the sidewalk. Her jaw fell a bit, as she knew who the owner was. With the front door of the house open, she slipped inside. As she passed the archway leading to the kitchen, she saw two officers, oblivious to her appearance. It was a consequence of her ability to blend in to her surroundings. She overheard the two men talking amongst themselves.

"The ambulance is on the way," one of the uniformed officers spoke to the other.

"It's a shocking sight," the other officer responded. "We just don't get calls like this these days."

"We can't prevent suicides," the first officer said.

As Consuela heard that word, her heart dropped. She didn't want to believe the situation that was quickly becoming a reality. As she stepped into the living room, she saw Barrett seated on one of the black leather couches, with Lady Vishus at his side, talking to the lieutenant in charge. Without disturbing them, Consuela walked right by, unnoticed. She ascended the staircase, hearing two more officers talking upstairs. As she reached the top, she saw no one. The door to Barrett's office was open and she crept up beside it and peeked inside. She clutched the cloth grocery bag in her hands even tighter, as she saw Mia Storm hanging from the ceiling. Consuela shut her eyes tight and turned away from the door. Even with them closed, she couldn't forget the sight of Mia's terrified gaze.

Downstairs, Barrett & Vishus were still conversing with the police lieutenant.

"She had been going through an emotional time," Barrett said. "Her daughter is in the custody of child services. Mia was having trouble getting her back."

"I'd certainly say she was depressed," Vishus said, quickly.

Barrett shot her an angry glance and she went silent.

"I just wish she would have talked to me," Barrett said, sadly, as he glanced back at the questioning officer. "She was so beautiful."

"Sometimes these things are impossible to prevent," the officer said, his expression blank. "The ambulance will be here soon to take the body."

The lieutenant should have questioned them about Mia's cellphone and the broken window she had thrown it out of. He should have asked them about why this young woman would hang herself in the office of her boyfriend. He should have asked many things. But, as Barrett stood up to shake his hand…and pass off a few thousand dollars payment, the officer asked none of those questions. He simply closed his case book, proverbially closing the case on the life of Mia Storm.

"We'll be out of your way as soon as we can," the lieutenant spoke.

"Thank you," Vishus said slyly, as the lieutenant joined his officers in the kitchen. "That went well," she whispered into Barrett's ear, as she rubbed his shoulder.

Without a word or even a look at her, Barrett walked away, leaving Vishus annoyed.

* * *

Back inside the Delta Command Base, Sophie was on her way to the Command Center. As she turned a corner, she caught sight of the figure who turned into that same corridor at the other end. Her eyes lit up. 

"Bridge!" Sophie said, as they walked up to one another. "I've been looking for you."

She tapped her morpher in its holster at her side.

"I was just about to call you the old fashioned way. Where have you been?" she inquired.

"Following Piggy," Bridge said, looking troubled. "You seen him?"

"Piggy?" Sophie said, looking confused. "I haven't seen Piggy in days."

"Well have you seen Kat? I need to talk to her right now," Bridge said, seriously.

"Kat's gone," Sophie revealed, surprising Bridge.

"Gone where?"

"That's why I was trying to find you," Sophie said, as her tone became a bit more solemn. "Mrs. Cruger collapsed on Andruss III. She was rushed to the hospital. Kat & Dr. Sevarus left a little while ago."

"Oh my gosh," Bridge said. "Isinia collapsed?"

"Yeah. Maybe it had something to do with the verdict," Sophie guessed, as her eyes fell to the floor.

Bridge noticed her evasive move.

"No…they didn't," Bridge said, looking surprised.

"Bridge, I'm sorry. Sky was found guilty. He's already been taken to prison," Sophie explained.

"But…they couldn't," Bridge said, looking shocked. "I just knew that he would be innocent. I had that feeling that you get when…"

As Bridge's voice trailed off, Sophie could see how upset he was getting over finding out about his friend. Her instincts kicked in and she reached out to gently touch his arm.

"I'm sorry," Sophie repeated.

"What is going on around here?" Bridge said, with frustrated anger. "Sky, Isinia…Syd."

"Syd?" Sophie's confusion returned.

"I really need to talk to Kat," Bridge said. "I found Syd and something's going on and it has to do with her and Piggy…and Z's death."

* * *

On Andruss III, Galaxy General was bustling with activity. As Cruger sat on the chair outside of his wife's room, he watched the doctors and nurses pass by. He wanted to grab one of them by the throat and order them to help his wife. But as each one passed without entering her room, he wondered if help would ever arrive. As he looked to his right, he saw help had indeed come. Cruger practically jumped out of his seat as he saw Dr. Sevarus turn a corner heading in his direction, flanked by Kat and Quinn. Cruger let out a sigh of relief. 

"Look who I ran into on my way in," Quinn announced to him.

"Shivan, I'm glad you're here," Cruger said, as he shook his friend's hand.

"I won't ask how she's doing," Sevarus said, quickly, as he clutched his large black medical bag. "I'll find out for myself."

Sevarus walked past the large nurse's station on his way to the door.

"I want to speak to whoever is in charge of Mrs. Cruger's case, immediately," he said, as he stepped up to the door and pressed the door panel, causing the doors to slide open.

As the doors slid closed behind him, Cruger began to feel better. He looked back at Kat.

"You didn't have to make the trip," he said.

"Yes, I did," Kat said, as she hugged him. "How are you?"

"I'm itching to rip something apart," Cruger said, honestly. "I don't know how long I can take this waiting."

"Maybe we should keep our distance then," Quinn said, trying to lighten the mood, without success.

"I know you're stressed," Kat said. "Between Isinia's collapse and Sky's verdict."

"You have no idea," Cruger said, as his thoughts veered to Sky, as they did a few times during the night. Cruger couldn't help but wonder how Sky was doing on Fenix Prime.

* * *

There was some irony in the fact that the prison jumpsuits inside the Myers Detention Facility matched the red sky of Fenix Prime, the planet where the prison was located. Known as a "prison planet" the detention facility was one of the only structures on Fenix Prime. Since nothing could live outside for very long, it was mostly uninhabited, except for a few mining colonies where some of the long-term prisoners worked for short periods of time, to prevent exposure to the crimson atmosphere. 

The red jumpsuits also presented an irony for Sky Tate, as he found himself once again donning red, but unable to use it to his advantage as he had for over a year as Earth's Red Ranger. But for Sky, this place was nothing like Earth and he could never call it home. As he stood in front of Warden Alton Gaines, Sky knew this place could never be mistaken for home. He stared straight ahead, as Gaines came closer. Sky knew exactly what he was looking at.

"It didn't take you long to get marked," Gaines said, his tone stern and forceful.

He was a tall human man. His dark skin was illuminated in the fluorescent lighting of his office. For a moment, Sky thought the man of African descent was joking with him, but the warden's face never shifted from its serious scowl.

"My cellmate doesn't play well with others," Sky said, with a tinge of anger in his voice that Gaines picked up on.

The man, quickly approaching old age, slowly walked around to his desk and sat down in his large black chair. He glanced at Sonsky, the head guard who had escorted Sky to this meeting.

"I think we'll let that go, don't you Tate?" Gaines offered.

"Let it go?" Sky said, as he looked into Gaines' eyes, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

"Here at Myers we don't hold grudges. If we punish Donovan for this, it could hurt you more than him," Gaines revealed. "Trust me when I tell you that you don't want to be known as a snitch around here. They're already going to be looking to target you because of your background. You don't want to escalate the situation."

"I'm the one who got hit here," Sky said, but as he looked at Gaines and Sonsky, he knew he wasn't going to receive any respect from them. "But, it's fine. I'll deal."

"Good," Gaines said. "Now, you've already had your tour of the facility. As with all prisoners, you'll be required to work while you're here. I've assigned you to kitchen duty. You'll be responsible for cleaning and serving food for two shifts a day."

"That should be something you're used to," Sonsky said, sarcastically. "Isn't that what you S.P.D. types do, protect and…serve?"

Sky didn't answer, he just gave Sonsky a look of contempt that he was sure conveyed his sentiment. He turned back to Gaines.

"Is there anything else, sir?" Sky asked.

"Of course no visitors are allowed given the tedious conditions on Fenix Prime. You get one off-planet call a week. That's strictly enforced. If the call doesn't go through…better luck the next week," Gaines explained. "Let me offer you one final suggestion. Don't walk around with that smug arrogance. It won't get you anything but another bruise."

As Sonsky grabbed Sky by the arm and led him out of the office, Sky had a feeling that it didn't matter what he did or didn't do inside the Myers Detention facility. He was about to be delivered into his fate and he had a feeling Cash was right when he called it hell.

* * *

As the warm water sprayed over her bare body, Syd tried to lose herself in the hot shower. It had become a ritual the day after any performance in Purgatory. Syd always showered right after, but that was to cleanse her body. Her hot morning shower was designed to cleanse her soul from the utter darkness she felt under the spotlight in that lounge. Last night was no different. In fact, she as more troubled by the appearance of Bridge Carson. But, unfortunately for Syd, her peaceful shower was about to be interrupted. 

She barely had time to get her hair wet when she heard the heavy knocking at her door. Syd jumped out of the shower, quickly wrapping a towel around herself. As she walked out of the bathroom, again she heard the banging.

"All right. All right!" she said, in a huff.

Syd glanced through the peephole and looked shocked. She opened the door quickly and looked out into the hallway past her visitor to make sure no one else was out there.

In an exaggerated tone, she spoke to the woman standing in front of her door, "Consuela! What are you doing here?"

Consuela quickly shuffled past Syd into her apartment. Syd closed the door, locking it.

"Don't worry! No one saw me," Consuela said.

Consuela's voice, however, didn't sound as it normally did. It wasn't old and it didn't sound worn down by manual labor, as she sounded inside Barrett's mansion on several occasions.

"Still, I can't believe you took the risk!" Syd said, beginning to panic.

"Well, I didn't want to wait. It's important!" Consuela said, tensely, as she ripped her graying wig off.

Syd simply watched as Consuela grabbed at her chin and began pulling the wrinkled prosthetic skin from her face to reveal Z Delgado.

"So what's so important that you risked ruining your cover?" Syd said, impatiently.

Z sighed.

"I got to Van Tigue's and there were police everywhere," Z said.

"Police?" Syd said, confused. "Barrett & Mia? What happened?"

"Syd, I don't know how to tell you this, but I thought you'd want to hear it from me," Z said, somberly. "It's Mia. She's dead."

Syd's entire face went white upon hearing of Mia's fate. She began to breathe deeply, as she felt like she had been kicked in the stomach. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She turned her back on Z and began pacing around the living room, holding her throat.

Syd mustered the courage to say one word, "How?"

Z waddled over to the couch and plopped down, looking supremely uncomfortable in her fat suit.

"They found her in Barrett's office. Syd, I saw her," Z said, nervously.

She wasn't sure she should tell Syd exactly what happened. But, she had known Syd for years and Z had a feeling that her partner wouldn't stop until she knew the whole story.

"And?" Syd said, as she walked closer to Z.

"She was…hanging there," Z said, slowly. "Syd, the police think she committed suicide."

Syd walked slowly over to the spot next to Z. As she processed what Z was telling her, Syd lowered herself slowly onto the couch. As a tear fell from her eye, Z leaned over, putting an arm around her shoulder.

Syd said. "She wouldn't."

"It's gonna be okay, Syd," Z said, trying to comfort her, as Syd's tears began to flow more freely.

"You don't understand," Syd said, as she wiped her eyes. "Mia wouldn't kill herself. She was…confident the last time I saw her. She wanted to live for her daughter, if nothing else. It was like she was determined."

Syd stood back up and thought back to her last moments with Mia. She looked down at Z, who was still seated.

"She wouldn't kill herself…anymore than you would!"

"I believe you," Z said, remembering the terror she saw in Mia's eyes. "Her cellphone was found cracked outside the house. It looked to me like she had thrown it out a window in Barrett's office."

"That sounds weird," Syd said, looking more troubled. "Why would she throw her cell out a window?"

"Maybe to keep whoever came after her from finding out who she called," Z said.

Syd pondered that thought for a moment and then ran into her bedroom. Z managed to maneuver herself off the couch, as Syd came back in, clutching her own cellphone. Syd was pressing buttons, as Z got to her feet. Syd looked into her eyes.

"It wasn't me," she said, sadly.

Syd then returned to her bedroom, looking focused. Z followed her. She saw Syd going into her closet and pulling out clothes.

"What are you doing?" Z asked.

"I'm doing what you told me to do," Syd said, angrily. "I'm going after my target!"

"Okay," Z said, without hesitation. "Let Consuela fix her face and I'll go with you for backup."

"No," Syd responded, as she cursed herself. "We've got _other_ problems."

"What are you talking about?" Z wondered.

"Piggy wandered over to Purgatory last night," Syd revealed.

"Oh no. I wondered where he went," Z said. "Did he see you?"

"No," Syd said. "…but Bridge did."

"Bridge?"

"He followed Piggy here and he saw me singing. Obviously, I couldn't go into details with him, but I know he's going to be asking more questions," Syd explained. "Including ones about you."

"I guess I knew the truth was going to come out, sooner or later," Z said.

"It always does," Syd said, with a sigh, as she began getting dressed, hoping that the truth behind Mia's death would also come to light.

* * *

Inside the Galactic Council Center, Earth's representative, Alaina Doherty was walking briskly. She looked troubled, as she turned a corner and ran into two of her fellow council members. 

"Gentlemen," Alaina called out, as they fell into step with her, walking at the same pace.

They all were headed to the same location and each of them looked as befuddled as she did.

"Do you know the meaning of this?" she asked both of them.

"No," Representative Trecineas said, looking annoyed. "I was in the middle of heated talks with the Barconians. I'm still trying to smooth things over with them."

Walking on the other side of Representative Doherty was Pheon, the Lynx native who represented the reclusive Barconians on the Council. He sighed.

"Well, as the Barconian's representative, I must tell you that you're not making headway," he said, sarcastically.

Trecineas shot him a glance, conveying that he didn't appreciate his humor at that moment. As the trio continued towards their destination, Alaina continued to shake her head.

"I don't understand why Otto thinks he can just force us to drop everything and show up for an impromptu Council meeting," she said, as they turned another corner and stepped into the long corridor leading to the Assembly Hall.

"The President summons and we come running," Pheon said, rolling his eyes.

As they got closer, Representative Delphine entered the corridor from an adjacent hallway, also headed for the entrance.

"Delphine," Trecineas called out.

Upon seeing her fellow representatives, Delphine paused and waited for them at the closed doorway. She greeted the trio with a nod.

"Do you know why we're meeting today?" Trecineas asked her.

"No," Delphine said, in her even tone, which often made her sound as if she was breathing underwater whenever she spoke. "I just received the call."

"Well, let's not keep him waiting," Alaina said.

Delphine pressed the door panel, causing the doors to slide open. As the four representatives slowly entered, they could see Galactic Council President Otto Cali standing in the center of their circular stations, talking with Representatives Karina Kevlar and Urgundii. Upon hearing the doors, that trio's chatter seemed to come to an end.

As they walked further in, Pheon leaned over between Trecineas & Alaina.

"Why do I get the feeling _our_ meeting just interrupted _their_ meeting?" he whispered.

"Mr. President," Alaina called out, as everyone took their seats. "This is a surprise."

"I'm aware that it's short notice, but I didn't feel we could wait on this," Cali said, as he sat down.

"Wait on what?" Trecineas asked, curiously.

"I've called you all here because I'm sure that the details of the Sky Tate case are still fresh in your minds," Cali explained. "I felt that the best time to act would be now."

"Time to act?" Alaina repeated, giving him a confused look. "I don't understand. Sentencing is over."

"Yes, but now we must decide what is to come of S.P.D. Earth," Cali revealed.

Alaina Doherty shifted in her seat, nervously.

"I am officially introducing a motion to close the S.P.D. Academy on Earth and relocate Earth's Delta Command Base," Cali revealed, to a shocked audience.

"What?" Trecineas said, dumbfounded.

"This makes no sense," Alaina said.

"But it does," Cali said. "Officer Tate's trial illustrated the many problems with the branch on Earth. I feel we need to respond or we run the risk of more incidents popping up."

"Officer Tate was sentenced to prison for a year," Alaina said, annoyed. "You've taken away their Red Ranger. S.P.D. Earth has been punished enough."

"I disagree," Cali said. "The motion is open to a vote."

"Already?" Pheon said, surprised. "I can barely type it all in."

Utilizing his cat-like senses, Pheon's fingers flew across the keyboard as fast as he could, relaying all of the information to his bosses on Barconia.

"This is wrong," Alaina said.

"I agree with Alaina," Trecineas spoke up. "This action is too severe. If I voted to close the Academy on S.P.D. Earth, it would be the same as saying that Triforia's S.P.D. Headquarters should have been closed because of the insubordination of Commander Trixx in the Barconian incident."

"One could argue that Trixx's influence over Triforia was greater than Officer Tate's over Earth," Delphine added. "Not that I believe either establishment should be closed."

"But there is a legacy of rules bent and broken on Earth," Representative Karina Kevlar, of Divalia said. "This would be an opportunity for the planet to rebuild their reputation, instead of further souring it. No one will respect Earth's S.P.D. branch after this."

"You don't know that," Alaina said, angrily.

"I know the galactic community is highly skeptical about S.P.D. Earth," Kevlar revealed.

"After what those Officers did on my home planet, I agree that the disorder extends beyond Officer Tate," Urgundii said. "Fernovia will never be the same."

"S.P.D. Earth sent Officers into a perilous situation on your planet," Alaina said, looking confused at his comment. "They stopped the terror there. It's true there was a disappointing accident in the conflict, but you are no longer under constant attack. I fear that if we leave Earth unprotected it will fall victim to the same brand of terrorism."

"The legacy of evil occurrences on Earth is known throughout the galaxy," Delphine testified. "Earth has always been a magnet for this type of corruption. Closing their Headquarters could be devastating to the planet."

"We would never leave Earth completely unprotected," Cali said.

"I'm guessing you haven't consulted Supreme Commander Cruger on this?" Alaina said, in an accusatory tone.

"Anubis is busy with personal matters, which we all know," Cali said. "We must take action in a timely manner. This cannot wait. The motion is put to a vote."

"I would never vote to close any branch of S.P.D. over something this unfortunate," Trecineas spoke quickly. "I vote no."

"I vote yes," Karina Kevlar spoke, causing even more visible anger from her friend and colleague, Alaina Doherty.

"I also vote yes," Urgundii agreed.

"The Barconians are going to need a moment to process," Pheon said, as he kept typing in his information to the Barconians, pressing his earpiece closer to his ear to hear their communications.

"I vote no," Delphine spoke up.

"I can't stand for this," Alaina said, already sensing what was about to happen. "I won't!"

Alaina stood up from her seat and stormed towards the Assembly Hall exit.

"Alaina!" Cali called out.

"You know, Otto, you claimed that your vote in Sky Tate's case was based on principle. But after this, I'm beginning to wonder what your principles really are!" she said.

Alaina turned away and exited.

"Representative Doherty!" Cali called again.

Cali sighed, after seeing the doors slide shut behind her. Silence crept into the room. Then, one sound invaded the Assembly Hall. Pheon tossed his earpiece onto the floor. All eyes turned to him.

"Sometimes I hate my job," Pheon said, angrily, before looking over at Cali. "The Barconians are voting in favor of closing S.P.D. Earth."

Trecineas winced, shaking his head at hearing the news. It was true that his diplomatic efforts to reach out to the Barconians were failing. He suspected that they were voting this way simply to vote against Triforia.

"Since Representative Doherty has virtually abstained from voting, that means we have three votes in favor of closure and two against," Cali announced. "The motion is passed."

Silence once again filled the Assembly Hall.

* * *

"Where are we?" 

Piggy muttered as he walked further into the darkened place. He couldn't even see his hand in front of his face.

"Prax!" Piggy yelled, hearing an echo. "Prax, where are you?"

After a few seconds of silence, a few lights were activated. Piggy turned in the direction of the light and saw Prax standing at the control panel. Piggy began to visually explore his surroundings, discovering that Prax had brought him to what appeared to be an abandoned factory. Prax approached Piggy.

"You'll be safe here…even from your nightmares," Prax said.

"You don't know my nightmares," Piggy said, sarcastically.

"Well, you won't be unprotected," Prax said.

At that moment, Piggy heard footsteps approaching from behind him. He turned, but couldn't see much since most of the lights in that direction were still off. As the human man appeared out of the shadows, Piggy breathed a little easier. Some part of him was expecting Barrett's hired gun, Lady Vishus looking for lunch.

"Hi," Piggy said simply, with a slight wave, before turning back to Prax. "Who's that?"

"Piggy, I'd like to introduce you to another one of Mr. Van Tigue's associates," Prax said. "This is Blaze."

"Blaze?" Piggy repeated. "How original."

Blaze didn't say a word as he walked up to Prax.

"What's he doing here?"

"Piggy has to lay low for a while," Prax revealed. "I didn't think you'd mind the company."

"I mind," the cyborg said, sternly.

"Well, get used to it," Prax ordered. "Besides, it won't be long now before there will be a lot more company around here."

Prax chuckled, as he glanced up at the production machinery in the factory, dreaming of the planned chaos to come.

* * *

Inside the S.P.D. Headquarters Command Center, Sophie stood at the main console, once again plugged into the room's control station, with no other personnel on duty. She had parted ways with Bridge after lunch, which she hoped would calm him, but it didn't. He was out looking for Piggy once again and waiting for Kat's return. As Sophie finally began to settle herself, the doors to the Command Center slid open, causing her eyes to flutter open. 

"Dr. Jensen," Sophie said. "This is a surprise."

"I'm looking for Commander Manx," Pryce said, as he walked over to Sophie. "The computer says she's not inside the base."

"Commander Manx went on an emergency trip to Andruss III," Sophie revealed. "Supreme Commander Cruger's wife has been hospitalized."

"That's unfortunate," Pryce said. "Do you know if she signed my resignation? I was hoping to have an answer today."

"She hadn't signed if before she left," Sophie admitted.

"Too bad," Pryce said, sighing, with his arms folded.

"You don't really mean that," Sophie said.

"I don't?" Pryce said, giving her an incredulous look.

"You like it here," Sophie said. "And you fit."

"I'm not sure I do fit, Sophie," Pryce said. "It's like everywhere I turn, there are eyes watching me, suspicious of every move I make. I can't live like that anymore."

"So you're just going to give up? You're going to let this traitor win? If you're innocent, then fight for your reputation. Fight for your career. Don't throw it away," Sophie urged.

"When you helped me in the lab with Deuce, you called these people your family," Pryce said. "The family doesn't want me."

"You may have been…unplanned, but that doesn't mean they won't embrace you. They kicked me out once because I lied about who I was. But once they knew the truth, they still came to my rescue and they let me in. Be honest with them. Show them your fighting spirit," Sophie said. "You may just get the loyalty you want in return."

Pryce stared into Sophie's cybernetic eyes for a moment, before heading for the doors, which slid open upon his arrival. He looked back at her.

"When Kat returns, tell her I need to meet with her about my resignation," Pryce said.

Sophie simply nodded, as Pryce exited. She wondered if she had gotten through to him, but she knew that only time would tell.

* * *

Inside Galaxy General hospital on Andruss III, there was one deserted room. At least, everyone thought it was deserted. The doors to the room slid open and a figure entered. There was a single lamp lighting the shadowy space. It sat on a desk in the middle of that room. There was a large black chair behind the desk, with it's back turned to the doorway. The figure sitting in that chair had heard the doors open and that figure knew exactly who had arrived. 

"I trust you were successful?" the voice spoke from the chair.

The alien who had entered the room stepped into the lamp's light. It was Doctor Shivan Sevarus, looking deadly serious.

"Yes," he said, as he placed his black medical bag onto the desk and opened it.

Sevarus pulled out a silver box and placed it on the desk. The sound of the metal box touching the metal desk caused a sound that the seated figure liked hearing.

"My position at S.P.D. Earth may be compromised," Sevarus revealed. "They may be close to decoding one of my messages. It is getting harder to carry out my orders and keep my identity secret."

"You don't have to worry about that anymore, Doctor" the voice spoke from the chair. "You won't be going back to Earth."

"I don't understand," Sevarus said, looking confused.

"It is time for the next phase of this plan to begin," the voice spoke. "And for that phase to be successful, Supreme Commander Cruger must be neutralized."

Sevarus nodded.

"That is why you had me sabotage Isinia's medication?"

"Yes," the voice spoke. "The Supreme Commander needs to take a long trip. I want you to make that happen."

"I understand," Sevarus said.

At that moment, the black chair spun around, revealing the figure seated there. Galactic Council President Otto Cali took the metal box in his hand and opened it, revealing the six stolen containment cards inside. He nodded.

"A change is coming, Doctor," he spoke. "I intend to restore law and order…even if it has to be forced upon them all."

* * *

As the metal bars shut closed behind Sky, he sighed, looking around at his cell once again. He glanced at his cellmate on the top bunk. Sky took a seat on his own bunk, as he heard movement above. Then, he saw Cash Donovan's face peeking down at him. 

"Meeting go well?"

"I have a feeling nothing goes well around here," Sky said.

"You got that right," Cash said, with a smirk. "But, it's not so bad once you get used to it. Hey, you never told me what you did to get in here."

"With news traveling so fast, I assumed you knew," Sky said.

"I told you my story," Cash said. "Let's hear yours."

"I killed a man," Sky said flatly.

At that moment, he saw Cash hop off the top bunk, looking surprised as he glared at him.

Cash said. "You? You killed a guy?"

"Is it that hard to believe?"

"You just don't seem the murdering type," Cash said.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, he didn't look human at the time. He was merged somehow with robotic parts, used to help keep him alive. He was terrorizing Earth," Sky explained. "My team and I tried to stop him. The whole conflict lasted about a year before I finally brought him down. The Galactic Council decided to bring me down as a reward."

"That sucks," Cash said.

"No kidding," Sky said. "But here I am. So I have to make it work, at least for the next year."

"I'm not gonna lie," Cash said. "You're gonna have to be careful. Some of these guys would love to get a piece of an officer, S.P.D. or not."

"I know," Sky said, standing up and rubbing his jaw and near his black eye. "I've seen their handiwork."

Cash sighed.

"I said I was sorry," Cash said, whispering. "But you're gonna have to protect yourself."

Cash walked closer to Sky, as Sky swung his arm around, activating his genetic power. He used the force field he generated, to deflect the approaching Cash, knocking him backward into the bars of the cell. As Cash fell to the floor, he grabbed at his back.

"What was that for?" Cash said, in pain.

"That was payback," Sky whispered, as he helped Cash get to his feet.

"That's a hell of a move," Cash grunted.

"Let's just say I can protect myself when I have to," Sky said.

"I guess we're even," Cash said

Sky smirked. Cash once again extended his hand and Sky finally shook it.

* * *

As Kat entered Isinia Cruger's room, she wasn't sure what she was going to say as she saw Doggie Cruger sitting at his wife's side. She walked over to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

"She's going to pull through this," Kat said.

Cruger let out a deep sigh.

"It's hard to believe that just a few years ago I thought she was gone forever," Cruger said. "Just when I came to terms with that, there she was, alive, back in my arms. Now, I'm facing that uncertain future again. This time…I don't know if I can handle it if I lose her."

"Then I guess we have to make sure that you don't lose her," Kat said.

At that moment, the doors to Isinia's room slid open once again. Dr. Shivan Sevarus entered, carrying an LCD pad.

"I think I've found the cause of Isinia's cell deterioration," Sevarus revealed.

Cruger stood up.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Isinia's body has begun to reject the enzyme injections that she's been taking," Sevarus explained. "I believe that it may be a result of the pups' growth. They are close to reaching the birthing stage and they are requiring more of the Sirian growth chemical. The chemical enzymes we've been injecting aren't enough to sustain them in this environment anymore."

"What does that mean?" Kat wondered.

"It means that the only way to save Isinia and Doggie's offspring is to return them to Sirius, where Isinia can freely breath in the enzymes in her natural environment so the pups can reach their final maturation," Sevarus revealed.

"Sirius," Cruger said under his breath.

It had been decades since he had been on his home planet, which he knew was now a deserted wasteland, thanks to Gruumm and the Troobian forces who invaded. He had never wanted to return there. It was the place where he had lost Isinia first and now it might be the only place that could bring her back to him. Cruger turned and looked at his wife, laying helplessly in stasis.

"When do we leave?" Cruger said.

* * *

As Sydney Drew stepped up to the front door of the Van Tigue mansion, she couldn't seem to settle her nerves. She knew what had happened in that house. She glanced at the nearby sidewalk and saw the broken glass, still laying there. As she pressed the doorbell, she glanced up at the window to Barrett's office and saw that it had been taped up. She shook her head, as she tried not to think about what had happened inside that room. 

The door opened and Lady Vishus greeted her with a sneer.

"Get lost," Vishus said, as she tried to close the door.

Syd stopped her, using her body as a doorstop.

"What do you want?" Vishus said, viciously. "This isn't a good time!"

"I want to talk to Barrett," Syd said, looking sad.

"V, who is it?" Barrett's voice came from inside.

"No one," Vishus yelled out.

Barrett, however, had already approached the doorway and saw the new arrival.

"Syren," he said.

"I'm sorry to bother you. I heard about what happened," Syd said. "I just…"

"Come in," Barrett said, causing Vishus to roll her eyes.

She opened the door, allowing Syd to come all the way in. Barrett showed her to one of the leather couches in the living room.

"I'm so sorry about Mia," Syd said, as she sat down.

Barrett sat next to her. Vishus leaned against the bar nearby, watching closely.

"It's so hard to believe she's actually gone," Barrett spoke sadly.

"I was shocked when I heard," Syd said. "It just doesn't seem like something she would do. She looked so happy to be back together."

At that moment, Barrett grabbed Syd into an embrace, hugging her tightly.

"I couldn't believe it when I opened the door and saw her there," Barrett said, his voice low.

Vishus rolled her eyes at the bar. The expression was seen by Syd.

"It's gonna be okay," Syd said to him.

"I'm glad you're here," Barrett said, as he held her tight.

Her eyes veered to Lady Vishus still standing at the bar. As they locked eyes, both knew the war was still on.

* * *

The line to enter the Myers Detention Facility's exercise area was long on this day. Sky stood in front of his cellmate, waiting to get outside. Sky took a good look at some of the other inmates. Most looked like they were in the right place. From the tattoos and scars, to the missing fingers and stench of loathing in the air, he knew that survival was going to be a tough prospect. As they reached the doorway, he felt Cash Donovan leaning towards him. 

"Just a warning," Cash whispered. "I may have to hit you again."

"What?" Sky whispered, angrily.

"Just keep your distance," Cash whispered.

Sky rolled his eyes, as he entered the exercise area. In most detention centers, this was known as the yard. At Myers, however, things were a bit different. Extended exposure to the planet's atmosphere could have lasting detrimental effects and that meant that their yard was encased in an invisible force field, which protected it from the atmosphere. Sky's eyes got lost as he looked up at the red sky. Just then he was pushed forward by Cash.

"You're holding up the line!" Cash said, loudly and sternly.

"Move it, Tate!" Sonsky yelled at the doorway, with his arms folded, as usual.

Sky bit his tongue, knowing Cash was only protecting his own butt. He walked further out into the yard, where he saw many eyes were on him. Cash seemed to be a popular prisoner, as a group of four other inmates came over to him, creating a small huddle several feet away from Sky. After seeing Cash talking and pointing a few times in his direction, Sky shook his head.

He saw a free weight bench and decided to try to work off his frustrations and use his leisure time wisely. As Sky sat on the bench, one of the other inmates walked up behind it. Sky noticed the massive muscles on the fellow.

"Spot me?" he asked.

The inmate nodded, without a word. Sky took a breath and laid back. As his hands grabbed a hold of the bar and lifted, he realized that he hadn't checked the weight on it. It was a bit more than he was used to, but he managed to get it up above his head. He lowered it towards his chest and that was when he realized he wasn't going to be able to do anymore reps without changing the weight. As he struggled, he realized that his spotter wasn't helping at all. He looked up to see that the inmate was gone. Sky used every once of strength in his body to push the weight off his chest. Letting out a loud grunt, he threw the bar off.

Sky jumped off of the weight bench, looking angry, as he saw that dozens of inmates were watching him and none of them lifted a finger to help. Sky looked angry, as he glanced to each one of them.

"Hey!"

Sky turned to see the prison guard, Sonsky, approaching him.

"Be careful with the equipment!" Sonsky yelled at Sky, enraging him even more.

Every fiber of Sky's being wanted to plunge his fist into Sonsky's face, but he knew that's what they all wanted. He worked hard to control his anger. In the distance behind Sonsky he saw Cash Donovan, amongst his crowd of buddies. Cash gave a subtle nod, almost giving Sky silent motivation to not give in to the temptation.

He didn't give in. In that moment, Sky promised himself that he would never give in. He was tired of losing and he wasn't about to let them win.

* * *

As Kat and Quinn strolled down the hospital corridor headed for the elevator at the end of the hallway, Quinn tried to muster a smile. 

"So you don't mind if I hitch a ride home, right?"

"Of course not," Kat said. "I'd love to have the company."

"Good. I'm no chatty Divalian doctor, but I think I can help you stay entertained," Quinn said, with a smirk.

"With everything that's happened, I've been meaning to ask how you're doing?" Kat said, after a few moments of silence.

"I'm okay, I guess," Quinn said, as his smile faded. "Trying to keep my spirits up. I still can't believe Sky's in prison. Honestly, if this had happened a year ago, I would have been jumping for joy. But, after all we've been through, especially the last few weeks, I'm sad."

"There's a lot of that going around," Kat said, as they stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the call button.

As the doors opened, they were both surprised to see Representative Alaina Doherty step off the elevator.

"Representative Doherty," Kat said.

"Commander Manx," Alaina greeted, seemingly out of breath. "Officer Gray, good to see you both. I came to speak with the Supreme Commander. Is he in with his wife?"

"Uh, Doggie's gone," Kat revealed.

Alaina looked confused.

"Gone?"

"Dr. Sevarus discovered that Isinia's cells were degrading from the pregnancy. The enzyme replacement therapy she was on stopped working so she had to be transported to Sirius. Doggie went with them," Kat explained.

"Oh no," Alaina sighed. "Sirius? That's far."

"What's wrong?" Kat asked.

"I guess I should tell you, since you're going to find out soon enough," Alaina said. "President Cali introduced a motion to close S.P.D. Headquarters on Earth as well as the Academy there."

"What?" Quinn said, shocked.

"Trecineas just contacted me. The vote went through," Alaina said, looking disappointed.

"I don't believe this," Kat said, angrily.

"I know," Alaina said. "I plan to do everything in my power to stop this before it's too late. But, I can't fight it alone. I need Supreme Commander Cruger's help. If you speak with him before I can get a message through, you must tell him to contact me immediately."

"Of course," Kat said.

Alaina Doherty stepped back onto the elevator and within seconds, she was gone. Quinn and Kat shared a troubled glance as they processed exactly what they had just heard.

* * *

Hours later on Fenix Prime, Warden Alton Gaines was in the middle of his own off-planet communication. As he looked out of his office's large picture window which overlooked the facility's mess hall, he saw the inmates lining up for their meals. His eyes veered behind the counter, where he saw Sky Tate, equipped with a serving spoon and a hair net. 

"He's beginning to acclimate," Gaines spoke into the earpiece, which connected him to the communications system in his office.

"That is a good thing," the voice on the other end of the call spoke.

"It won't be long before he'll be feeling right at home," Gaines said.

"That won't be completely necessary. Myers Detention Facility will not be Officer Tate's home for too long."

"I've already had a chat with one of my inmates," Gaines said. "Life for Tate is about to get very complicated…and potentially dangerous."

"Then we understand each other?"

"Of course we do, Mr. President," Gaines spoke. "I can't thank you enough for the recent donation. We all here at Myers Detention Facility thank you."

"It is a pleasure as always to deal with you Warden Gaines," Cali said, as he signed off.

After the call had ended, Gaines walked back over to the window and glanced down at the inmates lining up for their chow. One of those inmates glanced up at the warden and nodded, as he stepped up to the counter to be served by Sky Tate. Gaines watched, as he let out a deep sigh, knowing what was to come wouldn't be pleasant for Earth's former Red Ranger.

* * *

"Any luck?" Sophie asked, as she met up with Bridge in a corridor of the Delta Command Base. 

"No," Bridge said, with a sigh. "Piggy seems to have disappeared."

The two turned a corner and saw Quinn Gray approaching from the other end.

"Quinn, you're back," Bridge called out.

"Yeah," Quinn said, appearing exhausted. "You heard about the verdict?"

"I still don't believe it," Bridge said.

"How's Mrs. Cruger?" Sophie asked.

"They've moved her to Sirius. Dr. Sevarus thinks that the enzyme injections were the problem. I don't think we'll be seeing the Crugers around here for a while," Quinn revealed.

"What about Kat?" Bridge wondered.

"We came back together," Quinn said.

"Where is she?" Bridge asked.

"She rushed off to her office right after the shuttle docked. She said she had an urgent meeting to get to, which doesn't surprise me after what we found out," Quinn said.

"What?" Sophie asked.

"Apparently the Galactic Council has voted to close the S.P.D. Earth branch. The Delta Command Base, the Academy…everything," Quinn said.

"This is not happening," Bridge said, as he started walking.

Quinn and Sophie kept pace with him.

"I need to talk to Kat now," Bridge said, as they headed for her office.

After a brisk walk, which almost turned into a jog for Sophie & Quinn to keep up with Bridge, they arrived at the Commander's Office. Bridge pressed the door chime, despite her meeting.

"Kat, it's Bridge," he spoke to the doors, knowing she could hear him. "We need to talk."

The doors slid open and Bridge, Quinn and Sophie entered Kat's office, where she was standing, watching them. As the doors slid closed behind them, they noticed Kat's somber look.

"I know we have a lot to talk about," Kat said.

It was at that moment that the person Kat had been meeting with stepped out from behind her, revealing herself. All three of Kat's visitors looked shocked at who stood before them.

"Hi guys," Z Delgado said. "Guess who's back?"

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Barrett"**  
_The Rangers find themselves reunited with an old friend.  
Cruger is forced to make a tough decision, after hearing of  
SPD Earth's new trouble. President Cali officially announces  
the details of the closure of the SPD Academy on Earth, which  
has everyone in Newtech City on edge. Syd meets Barrett's  
mother, giving her new insight into Van Tigue. Cash helps  
Sky survive his first night in the Myers Detention facility._


	12. Barrett

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"BARRETT"**

"Am I still standing, cuz it feels like I fainted?" Bridge said, looking shocked.

"You're still standing, Bridge," Quinn reassured his teammate, without taking his own eyes off the resurrected Yellow Ranger. "Z, you're alive? How did—?"

Seeing the surprise on the faces of her friends, Bridge, Sophie & Quinn, Z took a deep breath, knowing that there was much to talk about. She, however, didn't have a chance to explain before Commander Kat Manx interjected.

"Z has been working undercover on a special assignment for S.P.D., sanctioned by Supreme Commander Cruger," Kat said, as she crossed the room and sat down at her desk.

"Undercover?" Bridge said, looking confused. "Like Syd?"

"Syd?" Quinn looked at Bridge strangely.

"It makes so much sense now," Bridge said, appearing to have an epiphany. "Syd, Piggy, Purgatory…you're all working together! But, why didn't Syd want Piggy to see her?"

"We're not all together," Z said. "Piggy's not in on the secret."

"You mean he really tried to kill you?" Bridge asked.

"I'm so confused," Quinn said.

"Then we'll explain it all to you," Kat said, as she glanced at Z. "From the beginning."

"Okay," Z said, sighing "After Piggy was released from the Infirmary, I stumbled upon some emails sent to him referencing a major debt that he owed. The only way he could avoid payment…was to kill an S.P.D. Ranger."

"What?" Quinn said, shocked.

"That's unbelievable," Sophie said. "So, he tried to kill you?"

"After some intense mental debate, I took the information to Doggie," Z continued.

"That was when Commander Cruger made the decision for Z to confront Piggy," Kat chimed in. "We orchestrated the entire scene on the roof. If Piggy took the bait, we knew he'd either rat out Van Tigue…or try to kill Z. He chose wrong. So, we set up the crime scene afterwards to make Piggy believe that he had actually killed Z."

"But he didn't," Bridge added. "That's why Doggie didn't want us to investigate?"

"Exactly," Kat said. "If anyone found out Z was alive, it would have destroyed the leverage we're trying to get on Piggy in this investigation."

"Investigation?" Quinn said, still lost. "If Piggy's innocent, who are you investigating?"

"The man Piggy owes the debt to," Z answered. "Barrett Van Tigue."

"The guy who owns Purgatory," Bridge put the pieces together. "So that's why Syd's there? To get the goods on Van Tigue?"

"But why?" Quinn asked. "Who's this Van Tigue and why did he want one of us dead?"

"Barrett Van Tigue is a business man…on the surface," Kat revealed. "He's also had some questionable dealings. Doggie had evidence of Van Tigue's misdeeds in the underground crime scene in Newtech City for years. The problem is Van Tigue's human and the evidence was never concrete enough for S.P.D. to get authorization to intervene. Van Tigue employs aliens to carry out his needs, so his hands stay clean."

The trio of Rangers all listened intently as Kat explained.

"But, recently we've heard murmurs that Van Tigue is planning something big and he doesn't want S.P.D. in a position to stop him. That's why he wanted the Rangers out of commission, even if he could only get to one of you," Kat continued. "At the same time, Syd was looking to…remove herself from Space Patrol Delta. The timing seemed perfect for Cruger to send her undercover instead of letting her leave permanently. Syd's working for Van Tigue as a lounge singer named Syren Dean."

"Syren Dean," Quinn chuckled. "Who came up with that?"

"Syren Dean did," Kat said, as she keyed in a few controls on her computer terminal, then twisted the monitor so they could see it.

The three came closer to Kat's desk, noticing the computer terminal was now showing a video display of a young blond woman dancing in a circle, appearing to be singing to herself. They all looked confused.

"Who's this?" Sophie asked.

"That's Syren Dean," Kat said. "…the _real_ Syren Dean. She's an aspiring singer and she happens to be a dead ringer for Syd. So, Doggie made her an offer she couldn't refuse. She's in hiding, after getting a secured gig at the Purgatory lounge, which Syd took."

"Cool," Quinn said.

Kat pressed a few more buttons on her computer terminal, pulling up screens of records on the Rangers.

"It was imperative that everyone connected to Van Tigue's organization believe that Syd was Syren Dean. So, I changed every record and every picture to make sure that Syd became Syren," Kat explained. "And to make sure that all of Syd's records were changed to show that our Pink Ranger for the last three years has been Sophie, not Syd."

Sophie grinned.

"Interesting," she said.

"That's an awful lot of work, considering Piggy could blow it all out of the water in a second if he runs into Syd there," Bridge said.

"This entire investigation has required some good luck," Z said. "That's why we had to keep as many people in the dark as possible. I had no idea Syd was even undercover until Doggie brought me into this."

"And your role is to…?" Quinn wondered.

"To try to crack Piggy," Z said. "If we can get him to reveal all he knows about Van Tigue, we'll be one step closer to bringing Barrett down."

"So, let me get this straight," Bridge said, as he began to pace around the office. "Syd's undercover pretending to be Syren Dean, a singer who is actually in hiding while Z is also in hiding because Piggy killed her, even though he didn't kill her so that she can try to get information from him about the bad guy, Barrett Van Tigue, who Syd is now working for?"

"Right," Kat said.

"Is this why Piggy thinks he's seeing Z's ghost?" Bridge asked.

"Actually he's seeing me, a version of me anyway," Z revealed. "Kat developed this astral projector which works with my genetic power to create a holographic illusion that makes me look like a ghost. But, it only works here in the base, which is why I haven't been able to influence Piggy when he leaves."

"Wow," Quinn said. "This is a lot to process."

"I know," Kat said. "And we don't have a lot of time to help with that. This investigation is still ongoing and we need all of you to keep quiet about what you now know. I'm preparing to contact Doggie so we're all on the same page."

"Speaking of same pages," Quinn said to Kat. "I'm guessing we should probably mention the whole S.P.D. closing issue."

"What?" Bridge said, confused once again. "S.P.D.'s closing?"

"Yeah," Z said. "Kat told me before you guys got here."

"The Galactic Council voted to close the Academy and remove the Delta Command Base from Earth," Kat said, somberly. "We're pretty much just awaiting official confirmation. That's why we're running out of time."

"Well, now that we know about the Van Tigue case, we can help," Bridge said, as Quinn nodded along.

"No," Kat said. "We can't get anyone else involved. Things are too delicate as it is. Besides, I need you & Quinn here."

"Agreed," Sophie said. "We still have a traitor to find."

"Right," Kat said, quickly. "Bridge, I want you to assist Sophie in trying to track down the spy. Quinn, I want you to take a look at the coded message that we found inside Boom's old room. Maybe you can find another way to decipher that message."

"Sure," Quinn agreed. "Codes are pretty much just complex languages. I'll give it a try."

"We'll get to work right now," Sophie chimed in.

"Dismissed," Kat said.

Before the Rangers could leave her office, however, Bridge pulled Z aside.

"You know you're going to have to tell Sam about this," Bridge said. "He's already halfway to the answer. I never would have found Syd if it weren't for his suspicions about Piggy."

"I know," Z said, as her eyes dropped to the floor, dreading the confession she knew she had to make.

* * *

On the top floor of Barrett Van Tigue's mansion, Purgatory's owner found himself amidst familiar brown cardboard. Mia didn't have many belongings, but he was ready to pack them away, so that he wouldn't have to look at them. He glanced across the room at Syren Dean, as she was folding several dresses and placing them into the boxes. He wanted to smile in presence, but couldn't muster the courage to in this case. 

"Thank you," he called out, somberly.

Syren looked over to him, giving a pleasant nod.

"It's okay," Syd said. "I don't mind helping and I wasn't using the boxes anymore."

"It's a really hard thing," Barrett continued. "…saying goodbye."

"I know," Syd said, sympathizing with him, if only for a moment.

"She didn't bring much into the house when she moved in," Barrett said. "She was so committed to becoming a part of my life."

Barrett continued to rifle through the drawers of the nightstand on Mia's side of their bed. As Syd returned from another trip to Mia's large closet, carrying another handful of clothes, her foot grazed something on the floor. Syd bent over and picked up Mia's purse. As she noticed Barrett still going through the drawers with his back to her, she opened it. As her hand skimmed past the lipstick and Mia's wallet, Syd saw something else. She picked up the photo of Anna, Mia's daughter. Her heart went out to that little girl, who would never see her mother again.

Syd was so entranced in the photograph that she didn't see Barrett stand up and approach her. He quickly took the purse from her hand.

"Sorry," Syd said.

"It's all right," Barrett said, as he looked at the picture. "Poor kid. It would have been nice to have her around."

In that moment, Syd wondered if Barrett was actually telling the truth. Nothing she had learned about him previously made her believe that he ever intended to welcome Anna. As she looked into his eyes, she got more scared. It was then that she realized Barrett had the ability to lie to her face, while making her believe it was the truth.

"It's so sad," she said, showing him that Syren believed him, even if Syd didn't.

"We're both alone now," Barrett said.

"You're not alone," Syd said, as she glanced into Barrett's eyes, knowing he was just being selfish to even place himself on the same level with Anna in terms of their losses.

"You know, Syren," Barrett said. "Even after everything that happened between the three of us, Mia still cared about you, I think."

"Really?"

"I told her that I would fire you if it would make her more comfortable," Barrett revealed. "She told me not to."

"She did?" Syd said, looking genuinely surprised.

Syd thought hard about her last conversations with Mia. The fact that Mia had wanted Syd to stick around, despite being so cold to her made Syd more suspicious about the authenticity of Mia's decision to reunite with Barrett. The fact that Mia died in Barrett's office had already caught Syd's attention, not to mention Mia's broken cell phone.

"I think she was going to forgive you, eventually," Barrett said, as he inched closer to Syd. "She was such a loving person. I don't think she wished either of us harm. I think she'd want us to be happy."

As Barrett got uncomfortably close, Syd began to feel that she might lose her lunch. Was he actually flirting with her while packing up his dead girlfriend's belongings? Or was he genuinely distraught over Mia's death and seeking solace from an understanding friend? Syd was beginning to confuse herself. Luckily, they were interrupted before she had to choose which path she believed.

"Excuse me," Lady Vishus appeared in the doorway, sneering. "Barrett, can I speak with you?"

Barrett glanced annoyingly at Vishus.

"What is it?"

"Alone," Vishus added, as she glared at Syd.

"It's okay," Syd said, thankful to just be rid of Van Tigue. "I should probably get going anyway."

Syd headed through the doorway, as Vishus barely moved an inch to let her pass by.

"I'll call you," Barrett called out to her. "…with the funeral details."

"Thank you," Syd said, before heading for the staircase.

She paused there, hoping to hear their conversation, but when she looked back Lady Vishus was still staring a hole through her, waiting for her to reach a safe distance so that she could speak without her hearing. Syd sighed and left, knowing she would get nowhere. After hearing the front door of the mansion close, Vishus walked into the bedroom, eyeing Van Tigue.

"What do you think you're doing?" Vishus said, angrily.

"I was packing up Mia's things. What does it look like?" Barrett said, annoyed. "I can't even look at them anymore without seeing her.

"I'm talking about Syren Dean! What was she doing here?"

"She was helping me," Barrett said. "You didn't seem interested."

"Oh what's the difference?" Vishus said, as she tossed Mia's purse back onto the floor. "I say burn it all."

"We can't do that, now can we?" Barrett said. "Since Mia died before she could tell what she was up to!"

"She had to go," Vishus sneered. "And frankly, Syren Dean needs to go too. You can't just replace one meddlesome tart for another!"

"So what are you suggesting that Syren be killed next?" Barrett said, looking furious.

"While I'd love to go that far, we don't need to. Just cut her loose and the problem will be solved," Vishus said.

"No!" Barrett yelled, as he picked up Mia's purse and plunged it into Vishus' hands. "I'm in charge here. Don't you forget it. Now, I want you to finish packing up this stuff and if I smell one hint of smoke, you'll be the one who's cut loose!"

Barrett reached the doorway and then turned back to her.

"And if you touch one hair on Syren Dean's head, you'll regret it," Barrett said, coldly.

Once Barrett was out of sight, Vishus pressed her lips together tightly, trying to confine her anger, but it was no use. She threw Mia's purse across the room, causing it to crash into a wall, emptying its contents onto the floor. In his office, Barrett leaned against the closed door. His eyes veered to the bloodstains on the carpet.

Downstairs, near the doorway, Syd stood, having heard the yelling upstairs. She smiled, as she sensed the dissention between Barrett & Mia. She looked down at the picture of Anna she had kept in her hand. Her smiled faded. She tucked the photo into her pocket and quietly exited the door, not making a sound. She didn't want to let them know she had stuck around to eavesdrop.

* * *

On Fenix Prime, inmate Sky Tate was actually happy to see the inside of his cell. After hearing the bars close and lock behind him, he leaned back against them and breathed a sigh of relief, ripping the hairnet from his head. 

"Rest while you can, Tate," Sonsky yelled from outside the cell. "The cycle starts again tomorrow."

After Sonsky was out of sight, Sky noticed his cellmate, Cash Donovan, seated at the desk looking at him.

"You know he takes just a little too much pleasure in his job," Sky mumbled.

Cash grinned.

"Tough day?" Cash asked.

"I swear after working in that cafeteria, I never want to see another piece of food," Sky said, as he tossed his hairnet onto the floor by his bed. "It has to be the worst prison job ever."

"Not the worst," Cash said, smirking.

"Oh really? What do you do around here?"

"Clean toilets. Wanna trade?" Cash shot back.

Sky said, as he lay back on his bed. "Okay, so mess hall duty is the _second_ worst prison job. But I'll tell you, that guy from the yard is really starting to get to me."

"The guy from the yard?" Cash asked curiously.

"Yeah. He decided to dispose of his half-eaten food tray by dumping it on the floor," Sky complained. "He told Sonsky it was an accident, but guess who had to clean that up?"

"Are you talking about Riggs?" Cash said, looking nervous.

"Yeah," Sky agreed, as Cash stood up and walked over to him.

"You need to be careful of him," Cash said. "He's not too fond of you S.P.D. types."

"Why's that?" Sky asked, as he sat back up.

"Riggs is serving 20 years for murdering some guy who nicked his car! He's crazy. And when I say 'murder' I mean that Riggs snapped the guy's neck with his bare hands. I mean they still haven't found that guy's fingers that Riggs chopped off in a fit of rage," Cash explained.

"Was the guy an alien?" Sky said, looking confused.

"No. Human."

"So what's his beef with S.P.D.?" Sky asked. "We don't have jurisdiction in non-alien cases."

"Well from what I've heard, Riggs was a fugitive. He ditched the cops for almost a year when two off-duty S.P.D. Officers walked into a bar and spotted him. He was finally caught and delivered to the local authorities, thanks to Space Patrol Delta," Cash revealed.

"Great," Sky said, as he laid back again. "I get sentenced to the one human prison with a psycho who has an axe to grind against Space Patrol Delta."

"If you're on his radar, you're going to have to watch your back," Cash said.

"How does he even know I'm S.P.D.?"

"I told you," Cash said. "Word travels fast around here."

"What did you guys do? Print out flyers and pass them around?" Sky said, sarcastically.

Cash couldn't help but chuckled. "I overheard Warden Gaines and Sonsky talking about your impending arrival in the mess hall and I wasn't the only one who heard them."

"Why am I not surprised," Sky said, frowning.

* * *

Deep in space, the official shuttlecraft of the Supreme Commander sped along, gently dodging and weaving through a small asteroid field. Little did the pilot know that his actions behind the controls were causing a much more disconcerting lurch for the passengers in the aft of the spacecraft. 

As the doors to the cockpit slid open, Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger was confronted with the blaring sound of music. The singer's voice had a distinct southern drawl, much like his new pilot, who was singing along with the tune. He hadn't even heard Cruger's arrival.

"Officer Hawk!" Cruger yelled.

Hawk quickly turned off the music, as he turned to the doors behind him, saluting the Supreme Commander from his chair.

"Sorry, sir. I ain't hear you come in," Hawk said. "What can I do for ya?"

Cruger walked closer to the pilot's seat, as Hawk turned back to his controls. Cruger hadn't had much time to get used to Officer Hawk. He was only supposed to be a temporary replacement for Officer Lucas, his normal pilot, but Lucas had come down with the Varillian flu and wouldn't be back for weeks.

"You can steady this shuttle," Cruger said, annoyed. "My wife is still in stasis and I don't want the portable unit to be destroyed before we make it to Sirius!"

"I apologize sir," Hawk said. "We're passing through an asteroid field. I was just trying to dodge the rocks. I must have gotten a little carried away. That happens sometimes when you put me and country music together."

"Then I suggest you separate yourselves until we arrive on Sirius," Cruger said.

"Yes, sir," Hawk said. "According to the coordinates, it shouldn't be long."

"Alert me once we're in orbit," Cruger said, as several beeps were heard coming from the instrument panel. "What now?"

"It looks like we're receiving an incoming transmission from Earth," Hawk said. "The signal looks kinda weak."

Due to the distance between Sirius and Earth, most transmissions were forced to bounce off communications buoys in order to reach their destination. Unfortunately, a wayward asteroid had destroyed one of those buoys. Cruger sat down in the co-pilot's seat and activated the communications monitor, which showed a blurred, fuzzy picture of Kat Manx inside her office on Earth.

"Doggie, are you…me?"

"Kat," Cruger called out. "The signal strength isn't great. It's hard to make out what you're saying."

"I'll try to boost the signal from our end," Hawk said, as he ran his fingers across the control panel. "It might help if we dropped a little lower. It would put us a bit closer to the last comm buoy we passed. With your permission sir?"

"Do it," Cruger said.

Hawk nodded and Cruger braced himself for another lurch that he hoped didn't hurt his wife's condition any further. After the move, he noticed Kat's image getting a bit clearer.

"Go ahead, Kat," Cruger called out.

"Sir…Council voted to…closing the Academy and Headquarters here," Kat explained, through the static-filled signal.

"They didn't," Cruger said, guessing at the missing words. "They're closing S.P.D. Earth?"

"Yes," Kat said. "Representative Doherty is…fight it…says…your help."

"Kat, the signal's still breaking up," Cruger said. "Tell Alaina that I know. I'll try to…I don't know."

Cruger's mind veered to his wife and he knew that he could not abandon her in her current state, or his unborn offspring. He shook his head.

"I understand," Cruger said, finally.

"There's…else," Kat continued through the static. "…Van Tigue case…Carson discovered what…I told…Rangers."

"Understood," Cruger said, as he glanced over his shoulders at Officer Hawk who had his eyes on the asteroid field they were passing through. "Nothing's been compromised?"

"No," Kat said quickly. "Our operative…to tell Sam. I agreed."

"He has to be secured if he's told the truth," Cruger said.

"Understoo—"

Before Kat could even finish the words, the connection was lost and the screen went black. Cruger sighed.

"I think we lost it, sir," Hawk said from his seat.

"Yes," Cruger said, as he stood up and exited the cockpit, contemplating his next move.

* * *

Inside her apartment above Purgatory, Syd found herself engrossed in a phone conversation with Z Delgado. 

"So they know everything?" Syd asked. "About Piggy, you, the whole undercover operation?"

"Yeah," Z answered on the other end, speaking from inside her quarters inside the Delta Command Base. "They took it pretty well, which is good."

"I agree," Syd said. "It makes me feel a little better. You know after what happened to Mia, I realize just how dangerous things can get. If anything were to really happen to either of us, I'm glad Bridge and the others know what's going on."

"What about the other thing I mentioned?" Z asked, refusing to avoid their earlier conversation subjects.

"Other thing? You mean about S.P.D. closing?" Syd said, in avoidance. "I hate it, but there's not much we can do about it. It's gonna feel weird. I mean this investigation can't last forever. I always assumed I'd be going back home, but now home's gonna be gone."

"I share the sentiment," Z said. "But, that's not what I'm talking about."

Syd rolled her eyes, as she walked into her bedroom and began fiddling with her curly locks, with her free hand.

"What?" she said, annoyed with where she knew Z was going.

"I'm talking about Sky," Z said. "I told you he's been sentenced to a year in prison and you quickly changed the subject. How ya feeling?"

"Honestly, I'm trying not to think about it," Syd said, as she laid down her brush.

At that moment, she saw the photograph of Anna she had taken from Mia's things. It was sitting on her dresser right next to where she laid her hairbrush. She picked it up.

"There's a lot more going on," Syd said into the phone, as she stared at Anna's smiling face. "I'm trying to keep focused."

Syd heard a knock at her door and emerged from her bedroom, after tucking the photograph of Anna into her dresser drawer.

"I have to go. Someone's here," Syd said.

"Okay, but you're going to have to face this Sky thing sooner or later," Z said, as Syd hung up on her.

With one swift motion her cell was in her pocket and her hand was on the doorknob. As Syd opened the door without looking into the peephole, she was surprised at who she saw standing on the other side.

"Barrett," she announced.

"Hi, Syren. I'm sorry to bug you again," he said, looking solemn.

"It's okay," Syd said. "I was just trying to relax after all that's happened. Kinda glad the club is closed today. You want to come in?"

"Uh, no," Barrett said, appearing nervous. "Actually, Purgatory being closed today is why I came. It's Wednesday."

"Right," Syd said. "Purgatory's never open on Wednesday. You thinking of opening anyway?"

"No. I was hoping that you'd want to join me," Barrett said.

"Join you?" Syd asked, curiously.

"Would you like to see why Purgatory's closed every Wednesday?"

* * *

"You're a hard woman to pin down lately," Pryce Jensen spoke, as he stood across from Commander Kat Manx insider her office at S.P.D. Headquarters. 

"I know," Kat said, with a sigh. "There's a lot going on."

"Well, since you called me, I'm assuming you've gotten around to my resignation?"

"Pryce, listen to me. I don't want to sign this," Kat said, as she lifted the LCD pad off her desk.

"You don't want to," Pryce repeated. "But does that mean you won't?"

"Don't leave," Kat said.

"I'm not going to stay here and be the scapegoat for some coward who happens to be brilliant at evading suspicion," Pryce stated. "The only way I'll stay is if you tell me that you honestly don't believe I'm the spy."

"I don't _want_ to believe you're the spy," Kat said, anxiously avoiding a final opinion on his innocence.

"There's that word again," Pryce said. "You keep telling me what you want and don't want, but it's not about what we want. I don't want my loyalty to S.P.D. questioned, but that's what I'm dealing with. Doesn't being the commander mean you have to make decisions you don't want to make?"

Kat walked around her desk to face Pryce up close. She looked deep into his blue-gray eyes. They were always like an ocean, sucking her into their waves, no matter how much she tried to fight against the current.

"Pryce...I—"

Before Kat could finish her sentence the doors to her open slid open, catching them both off-guard. Kat frowned immediately, as she realized the entrants had entered unannounced.

"Bridge, Sophie!" she exclaimed. "I'm in the middle of a meeting."

"We know," Sophie said, as she carried a portable computer terminal.

"How?" Pryce wondered.

Bridge tapped his forehead.

"My psychic powers come in handy sometimes," Bridge said, as Sophie set up the terminal on Kat's desk. "We needed to talk to both of you."

Bridge, Kat and Pryce looked over Sophie's shoulders, as she began keying in sequences on the terminal.

"Our spy struck again," Bridge said.

"What? When?" Kat asked, shocked.

"Whoever it was hit the containment room yesterday," Sophie explained, as she pulled up a recording from the Delta Command Base security systems.

"Again? What did they take?" Kat wondered.

"We found six containment cards were missing," Bridge revealed.

"Six? This is not good," Pryce said.

Kat shot him a troubling look, which caused him to frown even more.

"Tell me you have footage of the theft," Kat said, not taking her eyes off Pryce.

"If you have video evidence of me stealing containment cards I swear I'll arrest myself!" Pryce said, incredulously.

"We don't have footage of the culprit," Sophie said. "They covered their tracks well...just not well enough."

"Yeah," Bridge said. "We found something else."

The four watched footage of the corridor outside the Containment Room. As Kat stared at the time stamp in the corner of the screen, it blinked quickly, showing a time change that wasn't accurate.

"What the heck?" she said aloud.

"You saw it?" Sophie said. As she saw Kat nod along, she smiled. "The spy gained access to the security systems and shut them off in that area for exactly four minutes."

"That means our spy knew that if they had waited one more minute to reactivate the security monitors, the alarms would have activated automatically," Bridge added. "We're in the process of viewing all the nearby security cameras and correlating the times with the missing footage from here. Hopefully, we can catch this spy on one of the other cameras as he got further away."

"That still doesn't exonerate me," Pryce said, frowning.

"But it does!" Kat said, quickly, as she walked around her desk and sat down quickly, keying in several commands on her own terminal.

Once she saw her revelation was true, she smiled. She twisted her own monitor around so that the three standing on the other side could see the video footage she pulled up from her own office, showing Pryce handing her his resignation.

"Check out the time stamp in the corner," Kat said.

"I was here," Pryce said. "I was here with Kat when the spy snuck into the Containment Room."

"Dr. Jensen, I do not think you're the spy," Kat said, with confidence. "Therefore, I'm refusing to sign your resignation."

Smiles filled the room, as they all realized that one of their top suspects was free and clear. But, the time for celebration went quickly, as they soon realized that the spy they had been trying to expose was still out there, somewhere.

* * *

On Sirius, S.P.D.'s traitorous spy Doctor Shivan Sevarus was checking the vitals on his patient, Isinia Cruger, who was still in stasis and appeared to be resting comfortably. Once he was finished, he emerged from the small structure and found Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger glancing out over the plains of Sirius at the desolation that had once been a thriving planet. 

"This must be an unsettling homecoming for you, Anubis," he said.

"When I stepped off the shuttle I felt a wave of tension that I haven't felt in decades," Cruger said. "I thought I had shaken the demons of my home and the battle here. It turns out I had just escaped them. But now that I'm back, I realize they are as well."

The entire city had been left in ruin, overcome by the darkness of the Troobian Empire. Deemed unsalvageable and given that there was only one living survivor, no one had ever bothered to rebuild. Cruger knew there were now two survivors and two more Sirians soon to be born. He held back the emotion as he realized that the home of his birth had become a sight that embarrassed his soul. His children would be born on a Sirius that was dark and lifeless and that was a future he never wanted for them.

"How is she?" Cruger asked, his voice low and contemplative.

"I believe she'll be fine," Sevarus said. "It will take a while for the stasis effects to wear off and once she begins to freely breath in the Sirian air, I think we'll see a gradual positive progression in her condition."

Cruger nodded, as he continued to look out at the fallen, abandoned debris. He turned around and looked at the small wooden structure they had located. It was all that remained of a library. It was not a hospital or even a house, but it did have enough free space for the medical equipment and a sturdy foundation.

"She'll be all right here," Cruger said, sounding almost like he was asking for confirmation.

"I think we all will be," Sevarus said.

As he listened to Sevarus speak, Cruger knew that one of them wouldn't have to worry about staying there for long. Cruger turned quickly, as his keen sense of hearing alerted him to approaching footsteps. Sevarus turned to see it was Officer Hawk coming towards them.

"Commander, I tried to get a signal through to the comm buoy, but that asteroid field we passed through is causing some problems," Hawk explained, in his Texan tongue. "It may be a while before we can contact Earth or Galaxy Command for that matter."

"It's all right," Cruger said. "Unload all the necessary supplies from the shuttle. I need to prepare it for departure."

"Departure?" Sevarus said, unable to hide his shock. "Who's leaving?"

"I am," Cruger said, sternly. "I need to go back to Earth. I'm trusting you to watch after my wife."

"But Anubis," Sevarus said, nervously. "It won't be long before the pups reach the birthing stage. You won't want to miss that."

"I won't miss it," Cruger said. "The sooner I leave, the sooner I'll return."

"I'll get it revved up ASAP. We can leave within the hour," Hawk said.

"No, Hawk," Cruger said. "You're staying here."

"Excuse me, sir?" Hawk said, looking confused. "I'm not just a pilot. I'm also your security detail."

"I don't need a security detail," Cruger said, as he walked up to Hawk, looking the young man in the eye. "My wife does. You will stay here and provide security and protection for Isinia and Dr. Sevarus until I return. Understood?"

"Yessir," Hawk said quickly. "I better go start unloading."

As Hawk left them alone, Sevarus gently grabbed Cruger's arm, causing him to look down at the shorter Divalian doctor.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Sevarus asked.

"I have to go back," Cruger said, as he looked back out over the ruins of Sirius.

Cruger knew there was no way he could let Earth evolve the same way. He entered the makeshift cabin to say goodbye to his wife. As Sevarus watched him leave, he took a nervous breath, wondering what his own boss, the Galactic Council President, would think about Cruger's return. He had a feeling that Otto Cali was not going to like it one bit.

* * *

On Andruss III, President Cali had already taken the podium, as a crowd of press was in place, awaiting his grand announcement. Amongst the crowd were several S.P.D. officials who had come out from Galaxy Command to hear the news. As his trusted assistant, the green beauty, Tawke, handed him his final notes, he took a deep breath as he looked out into the manufactured sunlight of Andruss III, knowing that he was indeed about to enact change. 

He looked behind himself and saw five of the six Galactic Council Representatives seated on the stage. He knew they all didn't believe or vote for this decision, but that didn't matter to him. He was determined to push his agenda forward and he wasn't going to let anyone stop him, not even the missing council member.

With cameras rolling and microphone pointed in his direction, Otto Cali raised his hands in welcome.

"Thank you all for coming out," Cali said. "It is a lovely day here on Andruss III, as always. But today is not a day for light, as the Galactic Council has been forced to make a tough decision."

As Cali continued his opening statement, a live feed of his announcement was broadcast to almost every planet in the galaxy, thanks to the universe of media present. On Earth, it was no surprise that the hugely popular, Global News Network was covering the event. Familiar news anchorwoman, Cassidy Cornell had already prefaced the live feed, with her trademark editorial comments on what she believed the announcement would be.

Inside the Myers Detention Facility on Fenix Prime, the Global News Network was the news outlet of choice, since all of the inmates and staff were human. As Warden Gaines watched the broadcast in his office, he knew his eyes weren't the only ones glued to the screen. Downstairs, in the inmates' miniscule entertainment area, Cash Donovan had his hands on the remote. He had been flipping channels when the catcalls and whistles filled the room at the sight of Cassidy Cornell minutes before. All eyes, including Sky Tate's, remained on the screen as Cali continued his announcement.

"It is with a heavy heart that I come to you today. Given the weight and controversy surrounding the Tate hearing and deeper exploration into the history and questionable actions taken by S.P.D. on Earth, the Galactic Council has voted to dissolve that branch of Space Patrol Delta," Cali said, loud and clear.

No one could ignore the gasps from the crowd and the loud murmurs and whispers that invaded the area. Even the viewers in the Myers Detention Facility couldn't hold in their opinions, as voiced were raised among them. Cash stared across the room at Sky who was leaning against a wall, with his arms folded, watching the live feed intently. He could tell that Sky was trying to reign in his emotions, just as Riggs walked by.

"Well, I guess you don't have a home no more, boy," Riggs said, with a chuckle.

The fire within Sky's eyes ignited at the sound of Riggs' voice. As his hands balled into fists, Sky wanted so much in that moment to punch the man's grizzly unshaven face, but he knew he could not. In that moment, Sky saw Cash from afar. He looked almost as if he was about to stand up, possibly to intervene. In that moment, Sky admired his cellmate a little more. He settled himself and tried to ignore Riggs, as he turned back to the screen, where Cassidy Cornell had once again taken over GNN coverage.

"Well, that was certainly a show-stopping announcement," Cassidy said, "Especially for Space Patrol Delta. This is surely a blow to the entire planet, which has been home to S.P.D. for over twenty years. This announcement even has this reporter speechless and I can tell you that is a rare feat."

As eyes around the galaxy continued to watch, a universal moment of silence seemed to pass over Newtech City. Silence was surely heard inside of Space Patrol Delta Headquarters. With Representative Alaina Doherty at her side, Kat Manx stood before Bridge, Sophie, Quinn, B-Squad, and her highest-ranking staff members. Kat nodded to Niyako, the pixie-like alien communications specialist. She cut the transmission to Andruss III.

"Is this true?" B-Squad's Blue Ranger, Cadet Boom called out, looking crushed.

Kat put up a hand, to silence the barrage of questions she knew was coming, as chatter started up and voices began to get louder in the Command Center.

"Settle down everyone," Kat said. "I assure you, all of your questions will be answered."

"I feel it is my duty to apologize for the Council's decision," Alaina spoke up from Kat's side. "I did not vote for this action and I think it is important to tell you all that the vote itself was not unanimous."

"But we're still closing," B-Squad Cadet Meg Thurman said, angrily.

"Yes," Kat said. "The Academy will be closed immediately. All cadets will be reassigned to other Academies. You'll receive your new assignments shortly."

"I can't believe this," Casey Parker, B-Squad's Green Ranger said, as a tear fell from her eye. "This is our home."

"I have managed to talk the Council into several concessions," Alaina revealed. "I was able to convince President Cali that Earth could not be left completely unprotected. Therefore, Earth's contingent of Ranger officers and cadets will remain."

"Without the Delta Base?" Duc Sato asked.

Alaina simply nodded, sadly.

"A small skeleton crew will remain as well under the command of Kat Manx," Alaina continued. "Your job will be to protect Earth in case any dangers arise."

"And if we're not strong enough to do it alone, or without the Delta Command Megazord, what then?" Boom wondered. "Will we even have zords?"

"The Delta Runners will be moved along with the S.W.A.T. Flyers into the underground zord bay. They're staying," Kat said. "S.P.D.'s presence on Earth is staying as well, whether we have a Delta Base or not. We're not giving up this fight! I need to know that I can count on the best of you to stand up and let this planet know that S.P.D. is still going to fight!"

As she looked out amongst the crowd, she saw the nods of agreement, even if B-Squad's took a few seconds to happen. Bridge, Sophie & Quinn all looked deadly serious, along with the others gathered, who included tracking specialist Ghiren and Dr. Jensen.

"I'm truly sorry that it has to be this way," Alaina said. "But it is my hope and my mission to make this temporary. I don't know how, but I will make sure that S.P.D. is fully restored here on Earth."

* * *

Despite the comfort of the black leather seats inside Barrett Van Tigue's personal limousine, Syd hadn't been comfortable for one moment inside of the vehicle. Barrett had been uncharacteristically quiet for most of the trip, except for an occasional cell phone call. Syd still had no idea where they were going, but one thing was for certain, she was glad that Barrett was seated on the bench seats across from her, out of touching range. She had gazed out of the tinted windows of the car several times, but she that had given her no clue. She guessed they were still in Newtech City, but she couldn't be completely sure. 

She nervously ran her hands along her jeans. As she looked at the floral top she was wearing, she remembered Barrett telling her that her attire wouldn't matter where they were going. That had Syd even more curious. Then, as the limo slowed down, she noticed they were approaching a large two-story building. As they pulled into the circle-shaped driveway, Syd noticed the beautiful gardens on the grounds of the property. Barrett was still quiet, as the back door opened from the outside, revealing Lady Vishus, in a black suit and her chauffeur's cap. She held the door open with one hand and her cane in the other. She blankly stared at Syd, while Barrett stepped out.

He reached his hand in to help Syd exit the car. Once outside, her eyes veered to the building. Once she got close enough, she saw the sign, revealing exactly where they were.

"Serenity Gardens," Syd said aloud, curiously. "What is this place?"

"It's a mental health facility," Barrett said, as he kept holding onto her hand and approached the building.

Vishus smirked at Syd as she passed her. Then, Barrett's bodyguard hopped back into the driver's seat of the limo and pulled off towards the nearby parking lot.

Syd took a deep breath as they walked through the front sliding doors of the building and into the lobby. Part of her appreciated Barrett's gesture of holding her hand and guiding he along. But judging from his behavior, Syd had a feeling that holding onto her hand was more for his benefit, given his quiet demeanor on this day. Was he looking for her support?

Barrett walked up to the front desk and one of the nurses instantly lit up at the sight of him.

"Mr. Van Tigue, it's good to see you," she greeted, cheerfully. "And you've brought a friend. I'm sure your mother will be thrilled to have the company."

"Thank you, Linda," Barrett said. "Where is mom?"

"She's out in the south garden," Linda said, still wearing her toothy grin. "Her flowers are in bloom! Come on. I'll show you."

As Linda happily led the way through the building towards the rear, Syd couldn't help but notice some of the quiet seniors in the lobby. One elderly man stuck out to her, as he sat staring out the window, with his graying head slightly tilted to the right, never moving an inch. She leaned closer to Barrett, as they walked.

"Your mother's here?" Syd said.

Barrett nodded, as they exited the facility and began heading towards the blooming gardens.

"I'm guessing she's not a doctor," Syd said, lowly.

As they reached their destination, Syd saw a mature woman, kneeling on a white blanket, as she gently caressed the blooming red flowers in the ground. Her hair was blond, but beginning to show signs of graying. Syd was distressed to see how thin she was.

"She's not a doctor," Barrett said simply.

"Emily," Linda said, loudly, as she bent over near the woman. "It's Wednesday. Look who's here."

Barrett released Syd's hand and knelt down next to his mother, not appearing to care that his black slacks were now touching the dirt on the ground. He placed a gentle hand on his mother's back, as she turned to look at him.

"Hello, mother," Barrett said, as he smiled. "It's good to see you."

Emily Van Tigue looked over at her son, deep into his eyes, as always. Her own seemed vacant, as Syd watched. Emily slowly raised her right hand to Barrett's cheek, gently caressing it, as she had just done to the flowers. She smiled.

"Barry," she said, her voice cracking. "My little Barry."

Barrett gave her a smile, as he looked back up at Syd, showing her his true emotion, the deep sadness that dwelled within him.

* * *

Inside the Delta Command Base, Sam found himself walking with someone he hadn't gotten to know too closely. Part of him regretted the fact that he wouldn't truly get to know Quinn Gray the same way he had befriended the other Rangers. He just hadn't had time and now with S.P.D. Earth closing, Sam realized he wouldn't have that chance. Quinn had found him riding his bike outside the base and said there was someplace he needed to be. Sam was confused, as they traversed the corridors of the Delta Base. After turning another corner, he realized they were approaching the officers' quarters. 

"What's going on?" Sam said. "But you're starting to creep me out."

"Sorry," Quinn said, with a sigh. "Just trust me. I was asked to bring you here."

"Bring me where?" Sam asked, as Quinn came to a stop in front of a room.

"Here," Quinn said, as he pointed at the doors.

"This is Z's old room," Sam said, confused. "Why would you bring me here?"

"You need to go inside," Quinn said. "It'll all be explained to you. I shouldn't say more."

Quinn began to walk away. Sam watched him. After getting several feet away, Quinn looked back.

"Just keep an open mind, okay," Quinn said, before leaving.

Sam continued to give him a confused look. After a few moments, he stepped up to the doors, which slid open. He walked into Z's room, not knowing exactly what to expect. At that moment a figure emerged from the bathroom, shocking him. His reflexes kicked in and he backed away quickly, knocking into the wall by the doorway.

"What's going on!?" Sam said, freaking out.

"Sam, it's okay," Z said. "It's me. It's really me."

"I don't understand," Sam said, as he tried to catch his breath. "Piggy killed you."

"No, he didn't," Z said, trying to keep her town light and comforting. "He tried to, but I'm fine."

She placed a hand on his shoulder, which Sam tried hard not to jerk away from.

"See, it's really me," Z said.

Sam walked away from her.

"But...if you've been alive all this time, why didn't you come back before now?"

"It's complicated," Z said. "I've been undercover."

"Undercover?"

"Yes. I'm trying to get information from Piggy that pertains to a very important investigation," Z explained. "It was important for me to stay hidden."

"Information from Piggy?" Sam said, as he began to figure things out about the past several weeks and Piggy's strange behavior. "Him seeing things...that was you?"

"What?" Z said, as she got closer to Sam and he began to back further away.

"Piggy, he's been like...crazy. You were making him that way?"

"It's complicated, Sam—"

"Stop saying that!" Sam yelled. "Did you do that? Did you make Piggy think he was going crazy?"

Z took a deep breath and nodded.

"It was the only way I could get through to him," Z said, her voice low.

"What about me?" Sam said, angrily. "You had to know how close I was getting! I wanted him to pay for what he did!"

"Sam, I love how you tried to defend me and my honor, when you thought I was dead," Z said.

"I defended nothing," Sam said, as he frowned. "It was all a lie put together by you! You deceived me as much as you did Piggy."

"No," Z said, more sternly. "You just have to listen to me. I did what I had to do."

"No matter who paid the consequences," Sam added. "I thought you were dead!"

"Sam, I—"

"Don't," Sam cut her off again. "I don't want to hear anymore."

He headed for the doors, when Z grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Sam, please don't go away mad," Z said, sincerely.

"You don't get to decide how I feel," Sam said. "You're dead remember!"

He pulled his hand from her grip and headed for the doors.

"Sam, wait!"

He stopped in his tracks one foot away from the doors sliding open automatically. With his gaze planted on the floor, he didn't turn around to face her.

"Please," Z said, sadly. "I know you're mad, but you can't tell anyone about this. The investigation isn't over."

"Who would I tell?" Sam said, without turning around. "I don't have anyone left."

Z felt her heart fall, as the gravity of how much she had hurt her young friend's feelings sank in.

"Sam, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Sam said, again without turning to face her. "I don't want to talk to you, ever again. You don't have to worry about me telling anyone. As far as I'm concerned, you're still dead."

Without another word, Sam exited Z's quarters, leaving her behind with only the sting of his disdain.

* * *

On the other side of the city, Piggy sat twiddling his thumbs inside the abandoned factory, where Prax had brought him. He was beginning to enjoy the silence. Since he had been there, he hadn't been visited by the specter of Z Delgado and that was something he wasn't going to complain about. The silence, however, was going to be short-lived, as he heard the sound of boxes crashing against a wall in one of the other rooms of the factory. 

As Piggy got closer, he heard the grunting sounds of anger coming from his new acquaintance, Blaze, who was obviously thrashing about in the next room. As Piggy got closer to the door, trying to keep his nervous body steady on his cane, Blaze appeared in the doorway fuming. His sudden appearance startled Piggy and if he hadn't had a good grip on his walking cane he would have surely fallen to the hard cement floor.

"Blaze, buddy, what's up?" Piggy asked, nervously.

"I've been betrayed yet again," the cyborg said, angrily as he stormed past Piggy.

"Betrayed?" Piggy wondered aloud. "Sounds like cause for a good old-fashioned beating...unless of course you think I betrayed you!"

"You're right," Blaze said, sneering. "It's time for payback...and Barrett Van Tigue is going to pay for not giving me what I deserve after all I've done for him!"

Piggy watched Blaze storm out of the factory. Left all alone, Piggy was completely confused. He had never pegged Blaze as the hot-headed type, but it appeared that he was dealing with a loose cannon and Piggy was never one for loose cannons, especially when there was no one else around for them to take their anger out on but him.

He just hoped that wherever Blaze was going, he would either work out his frustrations or take out Barrett Van Tigue completely, so that he would finally be free of Van Tigue's control as well.

* * *

Inside the Serenity Gardens care facility, Syd watched as Barrett slowly helped his mother enter her room. Syd looked around and quickly noticed how bare the room was. There didn't appear to be any mementos decorating the room. In fact, it looked like a sterile hospital room with no signs of Emily's personality at all, except for a vase on her nightstand, where Emily placed the bouquet of flowers she was carrying from the garden. 

As Emily sat quietly on the side of her bed, nestling the flowers in their vase and fiddling with the arrangement of the flowers, Barrett walked back over to Syd who had remained near the doorway.

"You come here every Wednesday to visit her?" Syd said, her voice low.

"Yes," Barrett answered.

"What's wrong with her?" Syd asked, not sure if he wanted to say in front of his mother.

"She's been like this for years," Barrett explained. "It's an effect of the medication. My mother suffers from dementia. I tried to take care of her for a long time myself, but it just got to be too much. Here, she can get all of the attention she needs and I still get to take care of her. As you can tell from the way she talks to me, she still sees me as a child. It's an unfortunate side effect of her medication, but it seems to keep her mind from completely failing."

"I'm so sorry," Syd said. "This must be tough to live with."

"I try to look at the bright side. At least I still have her, you know," Barrett said. "She still recognizes me, even if she thinks I'm only five years old sometimes."

Syd never thought her heart would go out to this man, but it was and she couldn't help but feel truly sorry for his mother's condition. Then, Barrett's cellphone rang. He checked the caller ID.

"I need to take this," Barrett said. "Would you mind sitting with her for a minute until I get back?"

"Oh, of course not," Syd said.

Barrett glanced back over at his mother, whom they could now hear humming a light melody, as she held the vase of flowers.

"Mom, I'll be right back," Barrett said to her. "Syren's going to stay and keep you company."

There was no response from his mother. Barrett sighed, as he left to take his call. Syd walked closer to Emily's bed. She walked past it and took a seat in the rocking chair that sat next to the window, overlooking one of the gardens.

"You have a really lovely view," Syd said, with a smile.

Emily continued to hum, as she placed the vase on the table. Syd watched as the woman opened the top drawer of her nightstand and removed a large thin book. When Emily opened it, Syd was surprised to see it was a photo album. Emily looked up at her and smiled. Emily extended her hand to Syd and she took it. Barrett's mother gently pulled her over to the bed, where Syd sat down next to her as Emily turned the pages. Syd smiled, as she saw the woman in her younger years, playing with a young blond-haired boy.

"That's Barrett, isn't it?"

"My little Barry," Emily said, her voice low and simple. "So lovely."

"He was a very cute kid," Syd said.

"Sometimes beauty can...mask evil," Emily muttered, catching Syd off-guard.

"Excuse me?"

"My little Barry," Emily said again, as her fingers grazed the photos of the smiling boy, wearing his martial arts attire and holding a brown belt, which he had clearly just received. "Always smiling."

"You must be so proud," Syd said, nervously.

"How...can I be," Emily muttered again.

"What do you mean?" Syd asked.

"Great...evil," Emily said, practically whispering as she shut the photo album quickly and placed it back in the drawer.

As Syd watched the woman lean over and place her head on the pillow, she stood up from the bed, allowing Emily to lay down on her side, where the woman began humming again. Emily's eyes seemed plastered on the window. As Syd looked into them, Emily's gaze shifted quickly to looking at her, catching Syd off-guard again. Emily never stopped humming.

Syd was once again unsettled. Emily's eyes didn't appear as vacant as they had before. At that moment, Barrett appeared in the doorway.

"How are you two lovely ladies doing?" Barrett called out.

At the sound of his voice, Syd noticed Emily's eyes returned to the window, as her hum continued.

* * *

Inside the Delta Command Base, Commander Kat Manx was a bit relieved to be walking the halls with her boss and friend, Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger. Unfortunately, they both knew that this wasn't a pleasant visit, especially after the announcement that S.P.D. Earth would be closing. 

"Representative Doherty says she won't give up until she's run out of options," Kat said, somberly. "But honestly, I'm not sure there's much more that can be done."

"I'll have a talk with Alaina before her departure," Cruger said. "If there's a way to turn this situation around, we'll find it. Until then, you're going to have to stay strong and hold tight."

"I know," Kat said. "How's Isinia?"

"Shivan believes she's her condition should begin improving quickly now that she's on Sirius," Cruger said.

"I'm sure you're eager to get back to her," Kat said. "Honestly, I'm surprised you made the trip all the way back here."

"I had to come," Cruger said, as he stopped in the middle of the corridor. "You and I both welcomed this place all those years ago. Now, it's all being taken away and that's my fault."

"It's not your fault," Kat said.

"What's happening here is a direct reflection of my leadership," Cruger said. "I'm sorry. Sorry that I left you in this mess. I'm sorry that I put you in a position where you have to suffer because of the Council's disagreement with my past decisions."

"I'll never accept that apology, because it's ludicrous," Kat said, sternly. "And so is the closing of this S.P.D. branch."

"I know," Cruger said, sadly. "There's so much history here. I think we've walked every corridor in this place at least once."

"Feeling nostalgic?" Kat said.

"Going back to Sirius...it awakened so many emotions," Cruger revealed. "I'm afraid to admit that part of the reason I came was to escape."

"You can't escape the past, Doggie," Kat said. "You just have to face it."

Cruger nodded along, as they continued walking down the corridor.

"You're starting to sound like Isinia," Cruger said. "I have a feeling if she could, she'd be telling me the same thing."

"Then maybe you should listen," Kat said, as she glanced at him.

"I always do...even though it may take me a while," Cruger said, with a light chuckle.

"Stubborn 'til the end," Kat said, forcing a smile. "So what do you want to do about the Van Tigue investigation? Should I pull Delgado & Drew off the case?"

"No," Cruger said, after some thinking. "They're getting closer than we've ever gotten before with Van Tigue. I don't want to throw away all of their efforts. Besides, I still believe Van Tigue's planning something major. We need to figure out what that is, or Newtech City could be in real trouble."

"With most of our resources gone, it's going to be a whole lot harder to protect this city," Kat said.

"So we continue our mission," Cruger said.

* * *

As Sky watched a handful of male prisoners lining up in the hallway outside his cell, he took a deep breath. The only thing keeping them from being fully nude was the white towels they each wore and the prison-issued footwear. It was one facet of prison life that Sky was definitely not looking forward to: communal showers. 

As Myers Detention Facility's head guard, Sonsky, along with another guard, led them towards their destination, Sky could feel himself getting more nervous. As they walked, Cash Donovan, the last man in the line, leaned towards Sky.

"Remember what I said about watching your back," Cash whispered.

"You're the only one behind me," Sky said, sarcastically.

"You know what I mean," Cash said, as he pointed further up in the line.

Sky spotted the familiar knife tattoo on the arm of Riggs, the burly prisoner who seemed to have an axe to grind with Sky. He nodded to Cash.

"Any other tips?" Sky whispered back at Cash.

"Keep your eyes on the shower head...and don't drop the soap," Cash said, smirking.

As they reached the large shower room, Sonsky and his partner took up a position by the doorway. Sonsky crossed his arms, allowing the twelve prisoners to pass through the entryway leading to the showers.

"You got five minutes before we cut the hot water," Sonsky said, as the inmates passed him. "Make it quick."

As Sky entered the area, a wave of cold air seemed to pass over him. It was only a brief feeling, as showers were beginning all around him and the heat from the steam reached his body. Not wanting to be thought of as a peeping tom, he quickly made his way towards an empty showerhead in one corner of the room. Cash stepped up to the free spot to Sky's left.

Light chatter could be heard coming from a few of the other prisoners, but Sky was completely silent. Cash wasn't surprised. Being naked around so many other men would take some getting used to. After a minute or two had passed, Cash couldn't help but notice that a few of the inmates had cut their showers short. Five minutes of relaxation and hot water wasn't something inmates threw away easily. He began to get a strange feeling. He glanced at Sky and saw that his cellmate was staring straight ahead, as the water fell over his head.

As he lathered up, Cash heard another pair of footsteps leave the shower room and it was then that he realized that he and Sky were the only two left inside...except for Riggs. Cash was no fool and he had seen enough "accidents" inside Myers to know that this was no coincidence. It just happened to be one that he wasn't let in on, unlike the other inmates. That was all he needed to know to deduce the intent of Riggs.

Cash let out a conspicuous grunt, hoping to get Sky's attention, but Sky seemed oblivious. Cash reached one hand up to the silver showerhead and wiped the steam from it. It was then that he saw an approaching shadow reflection off the showerhead.

"Watch out!" Cash yelled, as he tossed the bar of soap in his hand onto the floor.

Riggs, who had removed his shower shoes to prevent anyone from hearing him coming, was coming towards Sky, with a knife drawn. Startled by Cash's warning, Sky moved away, as Riggs slipped on the strategically dropped soap and began to stumble forward. Sky waved his arm in a circular pattern, causing his genetic forcefield to appear. He used it to deflect the approaching Riggs, knocking him backwards, across the room.

Riggs slammed into the wall near the doorway, dropping the blade in his hand. The sound of his head hitting the tiled wall of the shower room, mixed with the sound of his collision with Sky's forcefield, had alerted the guards. Both rushed in, as Sky & Cash grabbed their towels, covering themselves up.

"What the hell's going on in here?" Sonsky yelled, as he knelt by Riggs' side.

"He tried to attack me!" Sky yelled. "I was trying to protect myself."

"It's true," Cash agreed, surprising Sky.

"He's unconscious," Sonsky yelled to his fellow guard. "Get some help!"

The younger guard stepped outside of the showers and made the call on his radio. Sonsky stood up and faced Sky and Cash, giving them a furious look, as he shuffled them out of the showers, passing by Riggs still on the floor. Now though, Riggs' weapon of choice was also gone.

* * *

As Barrett and Syd entered the front lobby of Serenity Gardens once again, Syd knew she would be leaving there a lot less sympathetic than when she arrived. Her encounter with Emily Van Tigue had left her even more troubled where Barrett was concerned. Syd stood near the doorway and glanced out the glass doors. In the distant parking lot, she saw Barrett's limo sitting in the parking lot, with Vishus behind the wheel. If Emily was right, then Barrett and Vishus were a perfect match. 

She turned back around and saw Barrett talking with the nurse, Linda at the front desk. As she approached, she heard Barrett making his usual plans to return to visit Emily in one week. As Linda, always smiling, began to go over some care issues with Barrett, Syd began to hear something out of the ordinary. She had been trained to always notice the small things, especially when undercover and the light rhythmic beeping she heard didn't sound like a computer glitch.

Seconds later, an explosive went off a few feet away from them. Just before it ignited, sending sparks and smoke blasting through the lobby, Syd grabbed Barrett pushing him behind a sofa in the lobby, which was quickly blown on top of them, further shielding them from the blast. As screams were heard and alarms blared, Syd heard Linda's piercing screams.

Just as the blast went off, Lady Vishus sat in the front seat of Barrett's limo, filing her nails. After hearing the booming sound of the blast and seeing the glass doors of the facility shatter, Lady Vishus returned her gaze to her nails, making sure they looked perfect. Once she was satisfied, she picked up her cellphone and called the authorities.

* * *

Doggie Cruger traveled down the escalators leading the main shuttle landing bay inside the Delta Command Base. After meeting with Alaina Doherty, he was ready to return to his home planet. He was apprehensive about the demons that still rested in his soul when it came to Sirius, but he was eager to get back to his wife. 

As he stepped off the escalators, he heard a light tapping on the right side of the landing bay. It appeared to be coming from the vacant area that had once been a shelter for the displaced residents of the firewall massacre of the previous year. He knew for a fact that the place had been completely cleaned out.

When he got close enough to look inside, he saw the cause of the tapping sound. Cruger passed through the open doorway and found Sam Hastings sitting on the floor, with his knees pulled up to his chin, nervously tapping his feet on the floor.

"Sam, what are you doing down here?" Cruger asked, as he walked further in.

Sam looked at Cruger for only a few seconds, showing the anger in his face. Then, he turned his whole body away from the Supreme Commander.

"Nothing," Sam grumbled.

Cruger sighed. "Z told you the truth?"

Sam shook his head.

"I'm sure you're going to defend her," Sam said.

"Sam, Z was only doing what I ordered her to do," Cruger said. "If you want to blame someone for all of this, blame me."

"It doesn't work like that," Sam said. "Z doesn't get a free pass to screw with other people's lives just because someone tells her to."

"You want to be a member of S.P.D.?" Cruger said, more sternly. "Then you're going to have to learn that there is an authority higher than yourself. There are people that you answer to and whether you agree with them or not, you do what they order you to do. That's the rule."

"Well, in that case," Sam said, as he looked at Cruger with disdain. "I'm glad I don't have to follow the rules. I don't know how you can order people to do things like that."

"I know that it's hard for you to understand," Cruger said. "But believe me when I say that the safety of this city was and is at stake."

"It's hard to believe anything that any of you say to me now," Sam said. "But I guess it doesn't matter much anyway. This place is closing. I've already seen people packing their bags, talking about new assignments. I guess I'll be on my own again."

Cruger let out a low growl, as he looked around at the vacated shelter.

"You want to understand why I make the decisions I make, Sam?" Cruger said, drawing Sam's attention. "Come with me."

"With you?" Sam said. "To Galaxy Command?"

"No," Cruger said. "To Sirius, my home planet. If you want to know why I make the tough decisions, I'll show you."

Cruger headed back towards the doorway headed for the shuttle bay. He looked back at Sam, who was still seated on the floor.

"I think you have a decision to make now," Cruger said. "Are you coming?"

After a few moments of silence, Cruger continued on his way. He barely got to his shuttle when he heard Sam's footsteps trotting in his direction.

"Commander," Sam called out.

Cruger turned to face him.

"Let me grab my stuff," Sam said.

"Hurry," Cruger said, as Sam waved his hand over himself, disappearing into thin air.

* * *

When Z heard the door chime inside her quarters, she was surprised. There was only a short list of people who knew she was inside. As she went down that list, she smiled, hoping for someone specific. As the doors slid open, she didn't see the person she expected, but she did see the person she needed. 

"Bridge," Z said, moving aside so that he could enter.

"Piggy's still not back, so I thought it was safe," Bridge said.

As he walked further in, Z noticed he was carrying an LCD pad.

"I thought you were Sam for a second," Z said, sadly.

"I guess he didn't take it too well?"

Z shook her head, as she slumped down on her bed. Bridge took a seat next to her.

"He hates me," Z said.

"He doesn't hate you," Bridge assured her. "He's just gonna need some time."

"My job led me to Sam in the first place," Z said. "I never thought it would break us apart."

"Join the club," Bridge said, somberly. "Hard to believe we're the only two left around here. Jack's gone. Sky's in prison. Syd's undercover for who knows how long...the old gang's not what it used to be."

"I know," Z said.

"Sky left me a letter after he was sentenced," Bridge revealed to her, as he showed her the LCD pad. "Wanna read it?"

"You sure about that?"

"I'm sure he would have left one for you...if he knew you were still alive," Bridge said. "Here. Read it."

Z took the LCD pad from his hand and stared at the words. She began to read aloud.

"Dear Bridge, you missed it. You never were one to follow the crowd. But, that's one of the things I've always admired about you," Z read. "You always do things in your own way and it works. I'm going to tell you a secret. Sometimes I wished that I could be more like you. You seemed to enjoy life more than I ever could. For those that don't know me well, I'm sure it will seem to them that I can survive this prison sentence easily, with a book in hand and an alienating attitude. But you know me better. You know that it will be the most difficult change in my life, much like the first time we met. I sat at a table in the Academy mess hall, clearly wanting to be alone but you wouldn't let me. You walked right up and introduced yourself, not even bothering to ask if the seat across from me was saved..."

"I remember that," Bridge said, with a slight grin.

"You never gave up on trying to reveal the human side of me to the world," Z continued reading. "And that's something I'll never forget. Your support and friendship is something I'll cherish forever. Bridge Carson, you're my best friend. I know that my team is in good hands, because you'll be there to lead them. You've taught me more than I could have ever taught you and I know they'll feel the same. Signed, Sky."

Z laid her head on Bridge's shoulder, handing him the pad back.

"When did following the rules become so hard," Z said, as she thought of Sky being guilty of breaking the rules and Sam's anger at her for following them.

"I don't know," Bridge said with a sigh. "But with S.P.D. Earth closing, it's going to get a lot harder."

Z shook her head, with contempt.

"How do you follow rules that you know in your gut are wrong?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Bridge said. "But I think we're quickly coming to that line where we're going to find out."

Z sighed, as silence invaded her quarters.

"I'm glad you're back," Bridge said simply.

"I'm glad too," Z responded.

* * *

"Riggs has suffered a serious concussion. I had to go out of my way to have him transported to a medical facility on the next planet, thanks to your actions," Warden Alton Gaines yelled. "What do you have to say for yourselves?" 

He stood in front of Sky and Cash, who were still clad in only white towels.

"I won't apologize for protecting myself," Sky said. "He had a knife!"

"There was no knife found in the showers," Gaines said, angrily.

"I saw it too," Cash chimed in at Sky's side.

Gaines walked over to Cash and eyed him closely. Then, he glanced at Sky.

"Well, Tate, looks like you've made a friend," Gaines said, as he walked back towards his desk. "I suggest you start making more. Because if anyone else in this prison gets sent to the hospital at your hand, you'll be looking at much more than a year at Myers! Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Sky said, quickly.

"Now, it's time to talk punishment for your actions," Gaines said, as he nodded to Sonsky, the only other person in the room.

Sonsky retrieved a brown box from Gaines desk. He held it as Gaines opened it and pulled out a small electronic device. Gaines knelt down and hooked the device onto Sky's ankle.

"What is that?" Sky asked, looking nervous.

"It's an electronic inhibitor," Gaines explained. "It will make it impossible for you to access your genetic ability for the duration of your prison stay."

"What?" Sky said. "You can't do that!"

As Gaines pressed a button on the device, a red light was activated on it.

"I just did," Gaines said. "No get out of my office!"

As the doors to Gaines' office slid open, Sonsky's partner was seen waiting outside. He led the two back to their cell, as Sonsky remained inside. Once the doors had slid closed and Gaines had taken his seat, Sonsky walked over to his desk, reached into his pocket and pulled out the knife Riggs had in the shower. He placed it on Gaines' desk. Gaines took it in his hands and fumed, as he saw no traces of blood on the weapon.

* * *

Inside the abandoned factory in Newtech City, Piggy was once again enjoying the silence. He was just about to lie down on the makeshift bed he had created, using a few blankets that Prax had provided. But, just as Piggy nestled in for a good nap, he heard the sound of Blaze's angry voice in the distance. This time, however, Blaze was not alone. Piggy made his way to his feet, using his cane and began walking towards the sound of voices. He listened closely, as Blaze and Prax were talking in the next room. 

"I take it Barrett Van Tigue doesn't want to mess with me anymore!" Blaze said, angrily.

"Calm down," Prax said. "Barrett got the message."

"Good!" Blaze said. "Next time, I won't bother with a public bombing. I'll go straight to the source and he won't see it coming."

"I have your payment right here," Prax said, as he presented Blaze with a suitcase.

Always curious when money was involved, Piggy gently peeked around the doorway to see. The cyborg placed the briefcase on an empty conveyor belt and opened it, but there was nothing inside. The distraction was all Prax needed to sneak behind Blaze and deactivate him. Piggy watched in shock, as he saw Prax fiddling with Blaze's circuitry. After a few moments, Prax reactivated the cyborg, whose behavior had completely changed.

"What's this for?" Blaze asked, showing Prax the empty briefcase.

"It's mine," Prax said, extending his hand.

Blaze handed him the briefcase and Prax walked off. With Prax gone, Blaze headed towards the doorway where Piggy was standing. Piggy quickly scurried back to his makeshift bed, as Blaze walked in, nodding to him as he passed by.

"Feeling better?" Piggy asked.

"I'm fine," Blaze said, annoyed. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh...no reason," Piggy said, as Blaze kept on walking, leaving Piggy looking confused.

* * *

As Barrett's black limousine arrived outside of the Purgatory lounge, Sydney sighed. She looked down at her floral blouse that was now singed and blackened from her earlier ordeal. 

"I can't say enough how sorry I am for everything that happened," Barrett said.

"It's not your fault," Syd said. "You didn't bomb Serenity Gardens. I'm just glad you're mother was okay."

"I'm relocating her to another facility outside the country tomorrow morning," Barrett revealed. "I can't take another chance like that. I have many enemies, Syren."

"I understand," Syd said, with a sigh, as the back door opened, thanks to Lady Vishus standing on the outside. "I should go."

"Syren," Barrett called out, as he grabbed her hand. "You saved my life. I'm in your debt forever."

"It was nothing," Syd said. "I'm shocked that I was able to react so quickly."

"Still, thank you."

Syd simply nodded, as she stepped out of the car, giving Lady Vishus a quick glance before heading around to the back of the lounge. Vishus closed the back door and made her way back to the driver's seat. Once inside, she started up the car and lowered the divider so that she could see Barrett sitting in the back.

"So, did your plan have the desired effect?" Vishus asked, slyly.

"I think so," Barrett said, as he picked up his cellphone and dialed out. "Prax, did Blaze return? He did. Good and the programming went as planned? Works every time. I'll contact you soon."

Barrett hung up the phone and smiled at Vishus.

"It went perfectly," Barrett said.

"I agree," Vishus said. "After that explosion, Syren Dean won't want any part of your life."

"Oh, come now, V," Barrett said, smirking. "Syren Dean's going to be a part of my life whether you like it or not. In fact, after today and what she did, I know she cares. She's going to be in my life and I wouldn't have it any other way."

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Moving"**

_Cruger and Sam arrive on Sirius, where Isinia is close to  
giving birth. Sky gives Cash a crash course in his S.P.D.  
history. Kat oversees the sad departure of S.P.D.'s presence  
on Earth. Galactic Council President Cali makes plans for  
the stolen containment cards. Quinn contacts a friend looking  
for support. Syd attends Mia's funeral. Z finds herself in  
danger, as her status among the living is revealed._


	13. Moving

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"MOVING"**

Even before the Supreme Commander's official shuttlecraft landed on the surface of Sirius, Sam could feel the tension rise in Doggie Cruger. He wasn't surprised, as he glanced out of the front window of the vehicle and saw the desolation of the planet from the co-pilot's seat. He glanced at his right, where Cruger lowered the craft into the atmosphere of the world.

Cruger had been uncharacteristically quiet as they got closer to his home planet. Whenever Cruger was around him, Sam always felt like he was trying to teach him something. He knew in his heart that Cruger was trying to nurture, but it always came off as a lesson. He had a feeling this trip to Sirius would be no different. But, now, with Doggie's silence, he wondered if the demons fo Sirius would overpower Cruger's urge to nurture him.

After powering off the shuttle, Cruger & Sam made their way out of the shuttle. As Sam's eyes traveled over the terrain, staring at the piles of rubble and crushed structures, Cruger's eyes remained fixed on the structure that was still standing in the distance. He could see Officer Hawk approaching from that direction.

"Howdy, sir," Hawk greeted. "Glad to see ya back in one piece."

"Thank you," Cruger said, as he glanced over at Sam, who was still entranced by the wreckage of Sirius. "Sam."

Sam walked over to the two upon hearing his name. Cruger gestured at Hawk.

"Officer Hawk, this is Sam," Cruger said. "He'll be staying with us for the duration of our trip. I'm going to check on my wife."

Cruger was already walking away even before finishing his sentence.

"Understood," Hawk said, as he bent over, only slightly to face Sam. "Welcome to Sirius. I guess I'll be your official tour guide."

Hawk extended a hand, which Sam shook, as he glanced around, wondering exactly what sites there could be to see amongst such destruction. Inside the compound erected to house Cruger's group, the Supreme Commander made his way to his wife's room, where he found Dr. Shivan Sevarus standing at the foot of her bed. Sevarus turned, as he heard the doors slide open.

"Anubis, you've returned," Sevarus said, happily.

"How is she?"

"Her condition is improving by the hour," Sevarus said, nodding, proudly. "She's resting now. The pups appear to be thriving in the Sirian atmosphere."

Sevarus pointed to the wall behind Isinia's bed. Several meters above thee bed was an open window. Cruger nodded.

"She'll be awake soon?" Cruger asked for clarification.

"Yes, that's normal. After spending so much time in stasis, she needs the rest. Her body's getting used to functioning on its own again," Sevarus explained.

Cruger walked slowly over to his wife's side and took her hand in his. Even then, he could feel that she was getting back to normal, just by the feeling of her fingers touching his own. He gave a nod of thanks to Sevarus, who stepped outside of the room. After the doors slid closed behind him, he leaned against the wall in the small corridor, breathing a sigh of relief. He too was thankful—thankful that Cruger had not returned with the truth.

* * *

Back on Earth, Commander Kat Manx stood in her office staring at the document that she had been awarded after completing her coursework at the SPD Academy. Seeing the framed certificate on her wall made her sad. That was the beginning, Kat thought. 

_And this is the end..._

She slowly took the frame from its hanging position and placed it inside a metal box, where most of her other belongings from the office had been packed already. Kat glanced around her office and realized that even though she had only been there a few months, she had managed to make it her own, despite opinions to the contrary. She took a deep breath as she glanced around the emptiness of it all. She knew that the day ahead was going to present her with many more empty rooms, as the Delta Command Base prepared for its departure from Earth.

Kat turned to her door, as she heard the chime sound.

"Come in," she said.

The doors slid open to reveal Z Delgado. Since her undercover assignment had begun, Z had taken to wearing a black jumpsuit, very similar to the one Kat wore when she worked in the field. She was wearing it today, but it had nothing to do with an upcoming fight. Kat wore it because it was the most unfashionable piece of her wardrobe. It made her feel active and even though the battle ahead wouldn't require kicks or a laser pistol, it was still one she needed to be prepared to fight. Z was holding tight to a large gold plaque as she entered quickly.

"I had a feeling that was going to stay behind," Kat said, as she walked over, and glanced at the inscription on the monument.

**In Tribute to Jack Landors...  
Forever a Friend, Forever a Ranger, Forever S.P.D.  
Forever Missed  
(2006-2026)**

"Jack's home is Earth," Z said. "It always has been and it always will be. They can take this place away but they can't take his spirit with them."

Kat nodded, as she walked back over to her desk and continued packing up things.

"Is that why you came by?" Kat asked, curiously. "You know you didn't have to ask permission to keep it and you should really be keeping yourself out of sight. There's lots of moving going on around here."

"I know. I made sure no one saw me," Z said, sadly. "It's just—Sam. I can't seem to find him. I know he's mad at me, but I need to make sure he doesn't get lost in all the activity around here. I think he's hiding from me."

Kat sighed, as she turned back to Z.

"Z, he's gone," Kat revealed to her.

"Gone? Gone where?"

"He left with Supreme Commander Cruger," Kat explained. "He took him back to Sirius."

"I don't understand," Z said. "Why would Cruger take him?"

"From what Doggie told me, Sam wanted to go. I'm sorry," Kat said.

"He's really that upset," Z said, somberly.

"I'm sure Doggie will help him understand why you had to fake your death," Kat said, as she rubbed Z's arm, trying to comfort her. "In the meantime, you need to keep yourself busy. Remember why you're undercover. This investigation isn't over and Doggie and I decided not to close it, since you and Syd seem to be making some headway."

"I know," Z said. "I should get going. I have a few hours. Barrett's busy at Mia's funeral. With the Van Tigue mansion empty, I'll be able to get a good look his office. Syd & I were thinking that's where he kept his secrets and given what happened to Mia..."

"You still don't think it was suicide?"

"No way," Z said. "Mia wasn't the type and Syd thinks she might have been up to something all along, trying to get her daughter back."

"Well, I hope you find something," Kat said. "Because if Mia was murdered in that house, that's another charge we'll happily dd to the list for Van Tigue."

"Then I guess it's time for Consuela to get to work," Z said, with a smirk.

* * *

Miles away from the Delta Command Base, a small burial service was underway. There were barely a dozen attendees, but they were all there to remember the vibrant young woman named Mia Storm. Standing before all of them was Sydney Drew. 

As her soothing voice passed over the group, the occasion seemed to catch up to her. She wished so much that Mia could have met and befriended Sydney, not Syren. As she reached the end of the classic lyrics of "Amazing Grace," tears fell from her eyes. It was then that she realized that Mia would never know her true identity, but she had still died her friend.

As Syren Dean's tribute came to a close, she walked to the second row of chairs that had been set up adjacent to the burial plot, where Mia's casket hovered a few inches above the open ground. As Syd took her seat next to her friend and fellow Purgatory employee, Rogi, he slipped her a handkerchief, which she used to dry her tears.

"Thanks," Syd whispered.

"It was a beautiful song," Rogi whispered back.

"Watch out," Syd said, as she mustered a smile. "You're gonna give me a big head with all those compliments."

"Well, you can join the club then," Rogi said, as he tapped his own overgrown noggin, attempting a joke.

As Syd smiled, he knew he had made her feel better, if only for a moment. Nearby, Barrett Van Tigue had taken a position near the casket.

"Thank you, Syren," Barrett said, staring at Syd. "That was lovely."

Syd simply nodded. Barrett glanced back at the gathered guests, which included every employee from Purgatory that Mia had befriended, his associate Prax and seated in the front row was Mia's daughter, Anna, along with her social worker. Several yards away, he saw Lady Vishus leaning on his freshly-cleaned limousine, wearing dark sunglasses and an all-black suit that matched his own.

"Mia had such a touching presence about her," Barrett eulogized. "She made it very easy to love her and I know that all of us did, in our own way. I will always remember her smile, her courage and her determination. Life is full of so many unexpected events. Whether tragic or not, it is how we deal with them that makes us stronger. I know that is small comfort to a loss as large as this one..."

Barrett looked at young Anna, clutching a teddy bear, the final gift from her mother.

"But, in time I hope that we can all heal. When I look at Mia's own daughter, I'm given hope," Barrett continued. "Hope that we can all rise above tragedy and remember Mia for the woman that she was. I know that I'll never forget."

As Syd listened to Barrett speak, she felt a twinge of pain in the pit of her stomach. Some part of her didn't trust him. Even after she had saved his life, she could never see him as a true innocent.

Once the casket had been lowered into the ground and the ceremony had come to an end, Syd found herself staring at Anna Storm. She truly did remind Syd of her mother. She saw Anna was standing over her mother's open grave and had been for several minutes. Mrs. Bradshaw, Anna's social worker, had an arm around her.

"Come now, Anna," the older woman spoke. "We should be going."

"I don't want to leave her here alone," Anna said.

"We have to be getting back to the center," Mrs. Bradshaw said, a bit more sternly.

Anna glanced down at the teddy bear, which had caused a few snickers and teasing remarks from some of the other kids in the child services facility. Anna didn't care if they thought she was too old for it. She loved it because it was from her mother. Even now, it gave her comfort and helped her believe she wasn't truly alone. Without another word, she tossed the stuffed bear into her mother's open grave. Mrs. Bradshaw sighed, as she guided Anna around to leave, only to be met with the arrival of Syren Dean right in front of them. Syren smiled at the girl.

"Hi, Anna."

"Hi, Syren," Anna said, back, unable to smile.

"I'm so sorry about everything," Syd said.

"Well, there was nothing anyone could do, apparently," Mrs. Bradshaw said, as Syd sensed the annoyance in her voice.

"You're singing was really good," Anna said.

"Thank you," Syren said, as she glanced back at Mrs. Bradshaw. "Maybe I could come visit sometime."

"I don't think so," Mrs. Bradshaw said, flatly. "It's time to prepare for Anna's future. Her mother's gone and there is a family that wishes to take her in. I think they will make Anna very happy."

Syd gave a defeated nod, as she glanced back at Anna, whose eyes were focused on her mother's grave, which she had turned her head to gaze at once again. Finally noticing this, Mrs. Bradshaw shuffled Anna off towards her car. As Syd watched them go, she saw Anna turn back and look at her for a long moment before Mrs. Bradshaw guided her into the back seat and shut the door. As the social worker crossed around the car, headed for the driver's seat, Anna glanced at Syd through the window and waved goodbye. Syd returned the wave.

Once the car rolled away, Syd turned her attention to Mia's open grave.

_I'm sorry. I could have saved you, helped you. I know it. I just wasn't fast enough._

As Syd continued to beat herself up, her eyes fell on the teddy bear laying on top of Mia's casket. She remembered being present when Mia gave the bear to Anna. At that moment, Syd felt almost like she had been slapped across the face. She cursed herself for not seeing it before. The teddy bear wasn't the only gift Mia had given to Anna on that day.

"Oh my god," Syd said, under her breath.

Syd turned quickly to leave, only to bump straight into Barrett Van Tigue.

"Syren, I'm sorry," Barrett said. "I wasn't trying to sneak up on you. I swear."

"It's okay," Syd said, trying to hide her eagerness to leave. "How are you feeling—after the explosion?"

"I'm okay. I have a bit of a sore elbow from where I hit the floor, but a few extra judo sessions should get the joints back to normal," Barrett said. "Are you okay? You seem a bit...off."

"Aren't we all?" Syd said, as she gestured towards Mia's open grave.

"Yes," Barrett said, with a sigh. "It's been a tough day. The crew is going back to Purgatory for drinks. It's a little early I know, but I think it will help. Will you join us?"

"Of course," Syd said, with a faked smile.

She didn't want the distraction, but she knew that Syren had to keep close to Barrett, especially now. Her epiphany would have to wait a while.

* * *

"Does it hurt?" 

As he sat on his bunk, Sky stared at Cash Donovan, who was standing across the cell from him near the bars. Cash was pointing at the electronic restraint on Sky's ankle, which prevented him from using his genetic abilities.

"No, just annoys the crap out of me," Sky said. "I guess it's payback for not having Bridge around."

"Bridge?" Cash asked, looking confused.

"A friend," Sky said, somberly. "Speaking of which, thanks for your help in the shower. You risked your rep...and you dropped the soap! I have to say I was shocked."

"Let's just say I've started getting used to having you around," Cash said. "Besides Riggs wasn't playing fair. I wonder how he smuggled a knife in here."

"Beats me," Sky said. "I'm just glad he didn't get to use it. You know, it's too bad Bridge isn't here. He might have been able to use his psychic powers to find out."

Cash gave him a curious look.

"So this Bridge guy is like you?"

Sky smiled. "Bridge and I are nothing alike...but if I was more like him, I wouldn't be in this mess."

"Is he there?" Cash said, as he remembered the news report. "At the Earth station they're closing?"

Sky nodded, sadly.

"And it's all my fault," Sky revealed.

"Now there's definitely a story in there somewhere," Cash said, as he listened intently to Sky's history lesson on the subject of SPD on Earth.

* * *

Inside the Delta Command Base, Kat turned a corner, passing two cadets, hauling large duffel bags. She nodded to them both, cordially. But none of them were happy. She watched them go on their way, curious as to if they were future Rangers. If they were, she thought, they wouldn't ever get to be Earth's Rangers, at least not in the same vain as those she had come to depend on. 

Kat arrived at her destination and walked in to see a group of those trusted Rangers. Three members of B-Squad were inside the Rec Room, packing up the place. But, as Kat walked in, it wasn't those three members of B-Squad she saw. It was almost as if she was transported back two years, walking into that room and seeing the young, smiling, sometimes fighting faces of her favorite B-Squad. It was Jack Landors, Sky Tate, Bridge Carson, Z Delgado and Sydney Drew that she saw when she remembered that room fondly. They were a team broken by time and fate. They could never be all together again. Perhaps it was a sign of the current times.

"Cadets," Kat said, forcing herself from her daydream. "Where's Cadet Sato?"

"He's...getting more boxes," Meg Thurman lied. "He should be back any minute."

"Well, it doesn't look like there's much to go," Kat said, as she glanced around the room, seeing so much missing.

"No," Boom said. "We'll be finished soon."

"I still can't believe it," Casey Parker said, as she walked up next to Kat. "By tomorrow, this will all be gone."

Kat wanted to reassure them, but all she could muster was a sympathetic nod and a pat on Casey's back.

"Carry on," she said, as she exited.

Once Kat was gone, the three B-Squad members got closer so that their whispers would not be overheard.

"Duc is gonna get us in so much trouble," Boom said, nervously.

"It's okay, Boom," Meg said. "We covered...or at least I did. What's taking him so long anyway?"

"He's being thorough," Casey stated. "This could be his last chance to find concrete information on that informant before the Delta Command Base is taken away."

"I still wonder if it was a good idea for him to search the criminal records," Boom thought aloud.

"I think it was," Meg chimed in. "I got a feeling that insectoid freak was trouble, especially after he disappeared just when Rubexa showed up."

"Well, if he's got a criminal record, Duc will find him," Casey said. "But he's running out of time."

Inside the SPD archives library, Duc Sato sat at a computer screen, as the terminal in front of him flashed visual records of every criminal and alien of interest that had been arrested by Space Patrol Delta in the last twenty years. With his head resting in his palm, Duc stared at the faces, as he scrolled through the records.

Just as he was beginning to feel that his search was hopeless, he was met with the image of the green alien insectoid who had faced him on the streets of Newtech City. A smile came across Duc's face.

"Gotcha," Duc said.

* * *

Inside his quarters, Quinn Gray sat at his desk, staring at the computer terminal and a screen of code that he had been unable to crack after hours of work. He finally let out a defeated sigh and turned away from the screen. Before he could stand up, the robotic patrol hound, Murphy was already blocking his way, with a mechanical growl. 

"Look, I'm taking a break," Quinn said. "There's no rule that says I can't take a break."

Quinn stood up and stepped over Murphy, walking towards his window. He glanaced outside, where he saw a group of cadets sitting outside the Delta Command Base, taking pictures together. He figured they must have gotten separate assignments. They would be leaving each other behind soon...too soon.

As Quinn looked a bit closer at one of them, the only alien amongst the humans, he realized just how much this upheaval was going to affect everyone. He closed his eyes, trying to push that thought from his mind.

With his eyes closed, Quinn begun to hear drilling and the sound of furniture moving. He glanced around his own room. The only things left were his desk, chair, bed and computer terminal. All of his belongings had already been moved to the small structure that would be left behind for the contigent on Earth. He wasn't looking forward to being Bridge's roommate again, but the bunker was small and they were all forced to make sacrifices. It was chaos, Quinn thought. It was then that it occured to him that there might be someone who could help him clear his head, someone who knew about chaos.

Quinn walked back to his desk and sat down, causing a small bark of contentment from Murphy, who laid down at Quinn's feet. Quinn pressed a few controls on his terminal and after a few nervous moments waiting for his call to go through, he was greeted with a familiar face.

"Hey, stranger," Quinn said, with a smile.

"Quinn...this is a surprise," Cadet Erial of Fernovia spoke to him. "I must admit I wasn't expecting this. I heard about what happened...with the closure."

"It's pretty hectic around here," Quinn said. "That's kinda what made me think of you. How are things there?"

"They are coming along nicely. The regrowth projects are thriving. You can hardly see the damage from the sky anymore," Erial said.

Her perky mannerisms helped Quinn to see she was happier than he had ever seen her before.

"Believe it or not, it's relatively quiet around here," Erial said.

"I wish I could say the same about this place," Quinn said, as he heard another thud coming from nearby.

"It'll get better," Fernovia's Pink Ranger stated, noticing Quinn's demeanor. "Just like it did here. You know, I heard that some of your cadets are being relocated here to attend our Academy. It's too bad you aren't coming with them."

Quinn smirked a bit, as he realized she was missing him.

"Well, Earth is still home. You gotta protect your own, right?"

"Yes, that is a lesson you know very well," Erial said. "...and one you teach very well. Earth is in good hands."

"Thanks," Quinn said.

"I want you to know your cadets are as well. We'll treat them like they were our own. Although I'm sure they will all work out great...if they're anything like you," Erial said, as she blushed, then realized Quinn might have noticed. "—or Bridge."

Quinn smiled. Her attempt to hide her admiration didn't work on him.

"I hope one day we can be like Fernovia," Quinn said, sighing. "Getting back to normal would be a welcome blessing around here."

"I remember my grandfather telling me a story about a great flood that struck Fernovia many decades ago when he was just a boy. His house was completely washed away," Erial explained. "But, he said that when the storm clouds cleared and the sun beamed down on what was left of his home, he saw a single flower blooming in that very spot. All became beautiful again. I'm sure it'll be true for Earth. You helped me to remember that too."

"What's the Fernovian saying my mother used to teach me," Quinn pondered until he remembered. "_Arkess pienta_."

"You mean _arkess gienta_," Erial said, with a giggle. She quickly translated, "The only way to grow is to change. That's an ancient Fernovian dialect. No one uses it anymore. The next time we meet I may force you to only speak Fernovian."

"Is that an invitation?" Quinn smirked.

"You are always welcome here, Quinn," Erial said, sincerely.

Quinn took a deep breath.

"Hopefully, I'll be able to take you up on that, once things quiet down around here," Quinn said, with a smile.

* * *

Inside the Van Tigue mansion, Consuela went about her vaccuuming on the home's second floor. As she hummed her usual tune, she pushed the vaccuum closer to Barrett's office. The door was closed. As she pushed the cleaning device closer, it caused the door to open a bit. 

"Oops," Z said, under breath, as she peeked down the hallway, making sure she didn't hear anyone approaching.

She knew that no one was home, but she also couldn't be sure that Barrett didn't have someone staking out the place at all times, after Mia's death. She advanced into the office, continuing to push the vaccuum. The entire house had been secretly swept for cameras before she took on her Consuela persona, but Z wasn't sure about bugs and she wasn't going to be very quiet. So, she decided to leave the vaccuum running, as she trotted over to the desk, in her overweight disguise.

Just as Z put her hand on the drawers to the the desk, she heard the doorbell. She silently cursed. She stood up and walked slowly over to the window, which was completely fixed and covered by black blinds. She peeked through one of them and saw who was standing at the front door of the house.

"I don't believe it," she said aloud.

Less than a minute later, Z was at the front door, ready to put her disguise to the ultimate test. She opened the door to see Piggy standing on Barrett's doorstep.

"May I help you, Senor?" she said, summoning her elderly spanish accent.

"Uh, I need to speak to Barrett," Piggy said, looking nervous.

"Senor Van Tigue is not home," Consuela responded.

"I went to the lounge and it was closed for some funeral," Piggy said. "I thought he might be here. I guess I'll just go back there and wait."

Worried for Syd's cover and feeling adventurous herself, Z stopped him.

"Wait, Senor," Consuela spoke. "Senor Van Tigue will return soon. If it is important, you are free to wait for him."

Piggy looked a bit surprised, but as he peeked inside the large house, he ran his fingers along the opening of his jacket and stepped inside.

"Well, as long as you're inviting..."

Z quickly closed the door and showed Piggy into the living room. She pointed to one of the plush leather couches.

"You may have a seat here," she said. "Can I get you anything while you wait?"

"Well...since you asked, I haven't eaten a thing all day! Do you have any sweet and sour salamander scales?"

"Uh, no," Z said quickly, knowing she didn't have time to actually cook anything for Piggy if she was going to put her plan into action.

"What about a fargilian fruit cup?"

"No," Z said, again in her faked accent.

"Well—"

"Why don't I just get you a drink of water?" Z said, cutting off his next wish.

"Can you make it dirty?" Piggy asked.

"For you...of course," Z said, as she shuffled off to the adjacent kitchen.

After taking the water from the tap and resisting the urge to spit in it, she walked over to a plant that was resting on the counter. She grabbed some of the soil from it and dropped it into the glass, as if it were ice cubes. She quickly brought it back to Piggy, who licked his lips upon seeing it.

"Now...you wait here," Z said, as Consuela. "I must continue work upstairs."

"No problem," Piggy said.

As Z got to the archway leading to Barrett's rec room and the staircase, she stopped and turned back around towards Piggy.

"No touch!" Consuela said, sternly, as she waved her finger at Piggy.

"No touch," Piggy repeated. "No worry!"

Z trotted up the stairs, as slow as she could, eager to set her plan in motion. She knew Piggy well. She hadn't been out of his sight for more than a minute before he was already up and exploring the kitchen. It was perfect, Z thought. After hearing the vaccuum start again, Piggy headed for the refrigerator.

"Nice setup," he mumbled under his breath. "Not enough mold, though."

"We all know you've got enough for everyone."

Piggy nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard Z's voice. He turned but saw nothing.

"Z?" Piggy said aloud.

"I'm still here, Piggy!"

Her voice seemed distant, Piggy noticed. And even though it didn't sound as disturbing as it had the last time he heard it, he was still frightened.

"I thought you had...passed on...finally," Piggy said, said with a grumble.

"Not until you tell the truth, Piggy!"

"What truth?" Piggy said, as he began to freak out.

"The truth about my death. You have to tell them why, Piggy! You have to tell them everything!"

"I can't...I can't go back there," Piggy stammered in fear.

"You have to!"

"We'll see about that," Piggy said, as he rushed out of the kitchen making a beeline for the front door.

"Crap," Z said, as she entered the living room, still wearing her Consuela disguise.

She nodded over at the couch, where one of her duplicates had been hiding so that Piggy would hear her voice in the kitchen.

* * *

They were on top of him. Dozens of robotic arms and legs attacked his body with vicious punches and kicks. He could hear the explosions in the distance, accompanied by the shrill sounds of screaming. They were screams of terror and death. But, through it all, Doggie Cruger fought on. The day the invasion force came the entire sky on Sirius appeared to go black. It was truly a dark day for his home planet. But, Doggie Cruger knew he could never give up the fight. It wasn't just the onslaught of Krybots that convinced him to fight on. 

It was the cackling laughter of Gruumm himself and the destructive actions of Gruumm's general Benaag, that still haunted Cruger. They had orchestrated the most crippling blow to Cruger on that day. They had taken his wife. As he steadied his feet, wielding his powerful Shadow Saber, he continued to fight, past the pain, past the suffering. He fought on.

Engrossed in the flashback to his last battle on Sirius, Doggie Cruger never noticed Sam walking up behind him. Cruger stood at the top of a large hill, forever blackened by the attack there. As Sam made his way to Cruger's side, he looked out at the destruction.

"This is worse than I ever could have imagined," Sam said, his voice low.

Cruger's eyes popped open, as he was startled.

"Sam, I didn't hear you coming," Cruger said.

"Sorry, am I interrupting your...meditation?"

"I wasn't meditating," Cruger said. "Ever since I returned here, I've been faced with memories of the fall of Sirius."

"That doesn't sound good."

"It's not," Cruger said, with a sigh. "But it is the burden of a warrior who loses a fight."

"I can't imagine ever living through something like that," Sam said, somberly.

"You will..." Cruger said, drawing a look of confusion from Sam. "Your future self experienced this same kind of destruction at the hands of Gruumm...on Earth."

"That's right," Sam said, as he remembered Cruger telling him the full story behind the Omega Ranger.

"He knew the risk of letting evil spread," Cruger said. "It is a tough lesson. He chose to make a hard decision to try to change the past. Battles waged on a planetary scale force us to make tough decisions. And sometimes, when you've experienced the loss, it causes a burning desire within your soul to prevent catastrophe."

Sam listened intently to Cruger as he spoke. He could feel the emotion in the Sirian's words.

"I'm in a position to take preventive measures against catastrophes like this one," Cruger explained. "I can never let Earth fall, no more than your future self could. So you see, Sam, to win wars, you have to make hard choices. I chose to take Z Delgado out of your life and the lives of her friends because I needed her. I still do. She has the power to help prevent a great danger on Earth."

"But, it's still hard," Sam said. "It's like our feelings didn't matter."

"They did matter," Cruger said. "But I knew that you, Bridge and everyone else were strong enough to survive it. I held my ground here on Sirius in a battle where I was the only one left standing. But, years later I discovered that I wasn't the only one who made it out alive. Isinia did as well. That taught me never to underestimate the power of a living being's spirit."

"I think I'm starting to understand," Sam said. "Still, I'm glad I'll never have to make the choice that the other Sam made."

Cruger placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, and sighed.

"You won't have to make _that_ decision, but that doesn't mean that the road ahead is clear...for any of us," Cruger said.

He stared back out over the dark terrain and tried to push away the thoughts of Gruumm and Benaag's victory on Sirius. In the end, neither were victorious and he was sure that Earth would never fall to evil forces as long as he was in control.

* * *

"That's one helluva story," Cash said, as he paced around the cell. 

Sky had just given him a detailed account of his time at SPD, leading up to his hearing and conviction by the Galactic Council.

"I hate to say it, Sky, but for most of it, you sounded like a real dirtbag," Cash said.

Sky huffed.

"I guess I told it right then," he responded. "I admit that I had my own demons to overcome and a lot of people got burned along the way. It took a while, but I figured it out and I wouldn't have been able to do it without those people whose home is about to be taken away."

"They sound like good people," Cash said.

"They're the best," Sky admitted. "I just hate that Jack finally got through to me by dying. I finally realized what was most important. They all helped me in their own way – Bridge, Z, Quinn...Syd."

Cash smirked a bit, as he picked up on some extra tension connected to that last name.

"Syd?" Cash said. "Sounds like another story."

"Not today," Sky said, as his demeanor changed completely.

"You can't dangle a carrot like this in front of me and then clam up, Tate! Come on. Who is she? Is it a she?" Cash pressured Sky for more.

"Of course it's a she!" Sky said, smirking. "I'm not the one dropping the soap around here."

"You know, I could have just let Riggs stab you," Cash said, arrogantly, as he sat down next to Sky on his bunk. "But, seeing as how I saved your life, I think you owe me some details about this Syd."

Sky rolled his eyes at Cash and took a long moment to ponder if he could even talk about Syd after everything he had put her through. To this day, he still blamed himself for running her away from Space Patrol Delta.

"Okay, but I'm gonna warn you right now," Sky said, as he glanced at Cash. "I don't come out looking much better in this story either."

* * *

Quinn found himself shifting in his seat once again. The noise throughout SPD Headquarters on Earth had died down. Still, Quinn couldn't find the answer to the coded message on the screen before him. As he began to nervously tap his foot on the floor, Murphy raised his mechanical head, tilting it curiously. 

Quinn's eyes veered from the terminal screen to his desk, where he noticed something he had not packed away with his other belongings. He picked up the LCD pad and glanced at it. He heard movement from Murphy and he saw that the robotic patrol hound's faceplate had a blinking question mark on it.

"It's a letter from Sky," Quinn said, aloud, although he couldn't figure out why he bothered to indulge the robot.

He hadn't read Sky's letter yet. He had been busy delivering the others. He was honestly curious as to what Sky had written. As he activated the pad, the text began to appear. Quinn took a deep breath and began to read:

_Hey Quinn, _

_If you're reading this then that means you're finally rid of me. I know you'd never think that, but as I contemplated what I was going to write to everyone, I realized how much I put you through. Even after all of that, you've been by my side all through my hearing. I appreciate that so much. _

_You accepted my apology when you didn't have to. You've been the better man and I'm glad that SPD will have you as one of its protectors. I was going to say that I'm happy that SPD will have some part of my father's legacy intact, but now I realize that laying that burden on you is futile. I carried it for too long myself and it turned me into something I regret. _

_You deserve a life without regrets. Believe me when I say they can infect your entire soul. A man's legacy is based on what he does in his life, not what his children do. Our father's legacy has already been cemented. I realize now that I spent so much time trying to live up to it that I tarnished my own. The only man you have to be like is yourself. The Quinn Gray I know is already good enough in my book. _

_When I'm released, I hope to tell you these things in person, because it's something I should have done a long time ago. I've learned that having a brother isn't a bad thing. So, good luck. I know SPD is better for having you. _

_Sincerely, _

Sky 

Quinn took a deep breath after finishing the letter. At that moment, he didn't know how he felt. He was surprised at Sky's honesty and he knew Sky was right. But, part of Quinn also knew that he would carry a piece of Sky and his father with him. As he glanced back at the computer terminal in front of him, he couldn't help but think back to Sky's words. If SPD was better for having him, then he needed to be better for them. He had to decode the spy's message.

Knowing there were people counting on him helped Quinn to press on. It always had. But, after reading Sky's letter and talking to Erial, he knew that there was also faith in him and what he could do.

Quinn's eyes grew large, as something occured to him.

"Erial!" Quinn said aloud, as he thought back to his conversation with Fernovia's Pink Ranger.

Murphy stood up after hearing Quinn's outburst. Quinn replayed their conversation in his mind, remembering something that Erial had said to him.

"_That's an ancient Fernovian dialect. No one uses it anymore."_

As it began to settle into his brain, Quinn smiled.

"Of course!" Quinn said, as he opened a new window on the screen and looked up an ancient language database.

As his fingers worked feverishly to type in the information he wanted, his eyes got brighter. He knew he was closer to finding the answer that he needed.

* * *

As Kat stood inside of the main science laboratory inside the Delta Command Base, she took a deep breath. This was the room where she had spent most of her career in SPD and it was about to be taken away with the base. She tried hard not to get emotional. She had tried to promise herself she wouldn't. She held tight to the large LCD pad in her hand, as the doors to the lab slid open behind her. She didn't turn around. She knew who it was. 

"Feeling nostalgic?"

Kat nodded, as Doctor Pryce Jensen came closer to her. Part of her didn't want to turn around because Pryce would see the emotion in her face. But she knew that there was no point in hiding it from him. She turned around.

"You want to be alone with the place?" Pryce said.

"No," Kat said, smirking. "I hardly recognize it after all the changes you made."

Pryce smiled.

"Besides, we have some things to discuss," Kat said, as she handed him the LCD pad. "I've finalized the roster for the crew that's staying behind."

"This looks good," Pryce said. "It's kind of short, though. Only three maintenance technicians?"

"Bolaran, Shaughnessy and Lladra are the best we've got," Kat said. "I'm only allowed to keep a small contingent."

"I know," Pryce said, looking nervous. "But, if the zords get damaged in a battle, it's going to be tough to repair them quickly with only three techs."

"Well, technically there are four," Kat said, as she stared at him. "So, you'll have to make due."

"Yes, ma'am," Pryce said.

"You still want to resign?"

"Oh, you know me. I love a challenge," Pryce said, with a grin. "Speaking of challenges and things missing, I'm glad you're here."

Kat looked curious, as Pryce walked over to his desk and pulled out a long silver box. He brought it back over to Kat and opened it. At the bottom of the box was a black lining and small holders that were the size of the Rangers' morphers. There was only one inside. Also sitting inside was a golden box, which looked like it held something similar.

"You gave me the sense that there was a problem," Kat said.

"There is," Pryce said. "The Nova Ranger morpher is in the gold box."

"Right," Kat said, still not understanding the problem.

"That Delta morpher is sequenced to work for the Red Ranger," Pryce stated.

"I figured," Kat said, sighing. "The Council doesn't want us adding another Ranger to the team now, not with our branch closing."

"I'll cut to the chase," Pryce said. "Where's the Yellow Ranger morpher?"

Kat closed her eyes, silently cursing herself for not noticing. She knew exactly where the morpher was, but Pryce wasn't supposed to know that she did.

"Let's just say that the morpher is in safe hands," Kat said.

"Would you mind elaborating?" Pryce asked, curiously.

"I can't," Kat said. "Not now."

"Okay," Pryce said, taking a deep breath. "I'll try not to take that as you not trusting me."

"I do trust you. But, I can't discuss this issue," Kat said. "I'm sorry."

"Okay, one more question then," Pryce said. "There was another smaller box inside here yesterday. It contained the prototype Omega morpher that Jack Landors had. What happened to it?"

Kat frowned even more.

"I assumed you had it stored elsewhere," Kat said.

Pryce nodded his head.

"No, and the lab is locked to everyone except you and me, when I'm not here. Do you think the spy somehow gained access?"

As Kat began to ponder what could have happened to it, a likely conclusion crept into her mind.

"I'm not positive, but I think I know who took it," Kat said. "He's the only one who could have gotten in here with the doors sealed."

* * *

Z Delgado entered the front door of the Van Tigue mansion. She had tried to go after Piggy, but when she realized that she still looked like Barrett's aging housekeeper, she turned back. She couldn't reveal herself to Piggy, especially not under these circumstances. She resigned herself to finish the mission she had already started. After she trudged up the stairs, slowly in her disguise, she entered Barrett's office and restarted the vaccuum cleaner by the doorway. 

She walked over to the window behind Barrett's desk and peeked out the blinds, making sure that Piggy was nowhere in sight. Z took a deep breath and sat in Barrett's chair. She reached out her hand and opened the top drawer of the desk. She was happily surprised to see it was not locked. But, her glee was ended quickly, as she saw the drawer was completely empty.

Her hands drifted to the next drawer. She opened it to find it was also empty. She went to the next one and again came up empty. She sighed, as she stood up from the chair and walked around the desk. She gazed at the covered window, trying to think, despite the hum of the vaccuum cleaner behind her.

"He moved everything," Z said. "Of course, he did."

She placed her hands down on the desk top and pondered her next move. She closed her eyes tight, trying to think. The only other place that made sense in her mind was the lounge. She figured Barrett must have moved whatever was in those drawers to Purgatory. She had to find Syd. At that moment, Z's eyes popped open. Her keen observation of her surroundings had alerted her to trouble.

The vaccuum cleaner had been turned off.

She turned quickly, to see Lady Vishus standing at the doorway to the office, fuming. Z couldn't help but look shocked, as Vishus began walking further in, slowly. As she saw Vishus raise her cane, Z took a defensive stance. Then, Vishus pulled at the head of the cane, revealing that the walking stick actually held a long, sharp blade!

"This room's off-limits..._senora_!" Vishus wailed, as she thrust the blade down towards Z, who quickly rolled over the desk, landing behind it, grazing her head on Barrett's chair.

As Vishus' blade struck the wooden desktop, Z got herself off the floor, glaring back at Vishus.

"Is that what you told Mia?" Z shot back, angered.

Vishus looked a little surprised at the remark, partially because Consuela had mentioned Mia and partially because her voice didn't sound as old as it had sounded to Vishus before. Lady Vishus let out a loud battlecry, as she ran around the desk, swiping at Z with her blade. Z managed to block every attempt. She grabbed a book from Barrett's desk, just as Vishus brought the blade down for another blow. It sliced the book in half.

As Z stumbled backwards, Vishus lunged forward, pushing Z into the nearby wall with her free hand. As Z's back collided with the wall, Vishus came closer to her face, which was beginning to peel. Z's wig had also become jostled in the fight.

"You're roots are showing!" Vishus said, through gritted teeth, as her eyes grew wider.

"Have a closer look!" Z yelled, as she pulled the gray wig off her head, shoving it into Vishus' face.

As her mouth, eyes and nose were filled with fake hair, Vishus stumbled backwards, allowing Z to move out of her clutches. As Vishus tossed the wig to the floor and regained her stance,w ith blade still drawn, Z pulled at her shoulder, ripping away her entire disguise with one quick motion. Now faced with the black-suited imposter, Vishus' eyes grew wider again.

"Why do you look so familiar?" she said, in a low voice, as she crept closer to Z, gripping her blade even tighter.

Z simply smirked, as she took her own fighting stance. Vishus lunged forward, swiping at Z who ducked, pulling up her leg for a kick, which seemed to hurt Z as it connected with Vishus' strong forearm. Z tried to duck away, but Vishus backed her near the wall nearest the door to the office. She stabbed the wall with her blade, barely missing Z's head. Vishus brought her lips close to Z's face once again.

"Why do I feel like I should know you?" she said, sneering.

"I don't know," Z said, with a whisper. "But I guarantee you won't forget me."

"Why's that?" Vishus whispered.

"It's hard to forget the one who kicked your butt," Z said, as she struggled against Vishus' forearm, which was now planted at her throat.

Vishus let out a mighty laugh, before returning to her frown.

"You and what army?"

"This one!" Z's voice came from behind Vishus.

She turned her head to see another Z Delgado, coming at her with a swift kick. Vishus stumbled from the blow, allowing the original Z to grab her blade arm, using her weight to push it backwards. The other Z scored a sweeping kick, knocking Vishus to the floor. As Z held the arm down, Vishus punched her. The duplicate Z pulled Vishus back to her feet by her other arm, leaving the blade on the floor with Z. The duplicate attempted several punches and kicks, which Vishus seemed to match, blocking every blow. Vishus whipped her around, gaining the upperhand. She scored a vicious kick to the duplicate's stomach knocking her into the real Z and both went flying backwards through the office door.

As they collided with the wall in the hallway, the duplicate disappeared, leaving only the true Z. Vishus picked up her blade as she sauntered towards the doorway, with it pointing in Z's direction.

"Now, weren't we discussing your identity?" Vishus said, with a devious smile. "...Not that it's going to matter in a minute or so."

Vishus let out an ear-splitting screech as she lunged at Z again. Z quickly flipped to her feet, kicking the blade away before it could connect with her neck. As she came around for a spin kick on Vishus, the villainous was already one step ahead. She kicked Z in the ribs, knocking backwards down the staircase.

As Z crashed to the floor below, she held her stomach, looking hurt.

"How are you doing that?!" Z yelled, through the pain.

Vishus slowly stepped down the staircase, still weilding her blade. Z inched backwards into Van Tigue's rec room.

"We all have our secrets," Vishus said, through her perfectly painted red lips.

As Vishus descended the staircase, Z's look of pain turned into one of fury.

"You got that right!" she responded, as she reached into her back pocket, and pulled out her Delta morpher.

Vishus' eyes appeared to almost pop out of her head, as she saw the device.

"SPD!" Vishus shouted.

"Emergency!" Z shouted back, activating the device which instantly transformed her into the Yellow Ranger, just as Vishus jumped off the third stair, with her blade pointed directly at Z.

The Yellow Ranger caught hold of Vishus' arms in mid-air tossing her over her head, causing Barrett's bodyguard to land back-first on his pool table. The blade fell from Vishus hand and stuck directly into the carpeted floor. Still holding her arms, Z pulled her from the table, where Vishus managed to land on her feet. She twisted herself out of Z's grip, attempting a swift kick, which Z blocked. The two continued to trade punches and kicks, as Vishus inched the Yellow Ranger backwards, closer and closer to the front door.

"Never pick a fight in enemy territory!" Vishus yelled, as she scored a cartwheel kick.

The Yellow Ranger went crashing through the front door and onto the front lawn.

"You Rangers aren't so tough!" Vishus sneered, as she used her hand to flick the lock of streaked white hair from her face.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Z said, as she made her way to her feet and pulled her Deltamax Striker, firing at Vishus' feet, sending her backwards in a barrage of laser sparks.

The Yellow Ranger walked over to Vishus, who was down and out in the doorway of the mansion.

"I should take you in right now!"

"For what?" Vishus said, as she writhed in pain.

"Murdering Mia Storm!"

"You have no proof," Vishus said, as she mustered a chuckle.

"I'll get it," Z said, from behind her helmet. "Just tell your boss not to go after what he can't kill."

As she turned to walk away, Z demorphed. As she stepped off the curb, into the street, she turned back to Vishus.

"Oh, and I quit..._senora_!" Z said, with a smile, as she walked off, leaving Vishus fuming.

* * *

Inside the Delta Command Base, B-Squad was still supervising the moving of several boxes from the Rec Room, as Duc Sato came running in, passing D-Squad, who were moving the boxes out. Casey, Meg and Boom all looked instantly interested, as they saw their comrade carrying a sheet of white paper. 

"There you are!" Meg said. "We were wondering if you were ever gonna show."

"Yeah, with you gone, I've been doing all the heavy lifting," Boom said, as he flexed his muscle.

Duc gave him an unbelieving look, as he pointed at the D-Squad cadets, leaving the room.

"Oh really, Boom, cuz it looks like D-Squad was doing all the heavy lifting to me," Duc said, smirking.

Boom frowned. "Well...someone had to put the boxes over there for them to take."

"What did you find?" Casey said, with a chuckle.

Duc led the group over to the side, where the bar was located. He laid down the piece of paper, which showed an SPD record for Prax in living color.

"He is a criminal," Boom said, as he read it.

"I knew it!" Casey said. "I had a bad feeling about that guy the moment I saw him."

"Prax," Meg read. "It looks like he was never arrested."

"No," Duc explained. "I found an obscure record from five years ago. He was brought in for questioning related to a robbery that SPD was investigating. Apparently some alien gang was preying on elderly couples. He was interrogated and released."

"There wasn't anything else?" Meg asked.

"Nope. As far as SPD is concerned, Prax fell off the face of the Earth after that day," Duc said.

"I still think he's suspicious," Casey said. "I mean, Rubexa attacks moments after you meet him and then he just disappears?"

"Not to mention the fact that he was taken in by SPD before," Meg said. "For all we know he could be the one that killed your parents."

"I know," Duc said, with a sigh. "That's why I have to find him."

"Did you have any luck on his whereabouts?" Boom asked.

"No, the address in this old file was for a building that was destroyed in the firewall massacre last year," Duc revealed. "I wanted to check a more current database, but I ran out of time. The archives room is officially closed, along with the Academy library."

"Oh man," Boom said. "We should tell Kat about this."

"No," Duc said, quickly. "If I tell Kat about Prax, then she's going to know I lied to her about skipping out the other week. I need to handle this on my own."

"Plus, with everything that's going on, we don't want to make things more complicated around here," Meg agreed with her friend.

Boom frowned, as his eyes fell on Casey.

"It's Duc's secret to tell," Casey said to Boom. "But I do think we're going to have to bring Commander Manx in on this sooner or later. I mean we can't just go parading around Newtech City looking for Prax here without her getting curious."

"Let's just keep it quiet for now," Duc said. "I don't want this investigation to end before I can find answers. If this Prax did kill my parents, I'm bringing him in."

* * *

On the other side of the Delta Command Base, Kat found herself in the Infirmary, packing up the last of the supplies that would be left behind for emergency use. She nodded to the nurse on the other side of the room. Nurse Barclay walked over and took the box. 

"Is that it, sir?" she asked.

"Yes," Kat said. "Hopefully, we won't have any major medical emergencies. If we do, we'll have to take them to the main hospital."

The nurse nodded, as she headed for the exit. The doors slid open and she almost bumped into Quinn Gray, who was on his way in. Kat seemed surprised to see him. She was even more surprised that he seemed to be smiling.

"Quinn, what's up?"

Quinn showed her an LCD pad.

"I got past the message routers," Quinn announced. "We're in business!"

Kat took a look at Quinn's work.

"How did you decode this?" Kat said, with a smile, before waving her hand. "Wait. I don't care how you did it. What does the message say?"

"I'm not sure...yet," Quinn said. "I realized that the reason we hadn't been able to decode the message was because the program used to encode it was ancient. I mean, no one uses that code anymore. Once I realized it might be a defunct program, I ran it through an old database and found a match."

"So, now what's the problem?"

"The message is written in a language I've never seen before," Quinn said, frowning. "And I've seen hundreds!"

Kat sighed. "What's the next step?"

"Given that we're going to be down to the bare necessities really quickly," Quinn said. "I was hoping you'd let me contact my mom on this."

"Ellie? You think she can help?"

"She taught me everything I know," Quinn said. "If anyone can translate the text of the message, it's her."

"Okay," Kat said. "Do it. But, make sure you're discrete. We can't have this falling into the wrong hands. Tell her to contact me if she has any questions."

Quinn headed for the doors.

"You know she will," he said, as he exited.

Left alone in the Infirmary once again, Kat was glad to hear the name of an old friend. It was then it struck her that the Infirmary had been a pivotal place for her old friends. It was here that she was so used to seeing Felix, almost daily before his death aboard Omallix's base. Kat was saddened, as she remembered being in the Infirmary the day she released Felix's body from the containment card, which Z had used to keep him safe when the base came crashing down.

The Infirmary was also the last place she saw Jack Landors. It was here that he had died, in the company of his closest friends. They were like a family, Kat thought to herself. The family had begun to come apart on that day Jack died and things had only gotten worse. No matter how much they had tried to pull themselves together, their choices and decisions had led them to this place. Their home was going to be the next to go.

Kat stood in the middle of the Infirmary and took a deep breath.

* * *

"And then she was gone," Sky said, as he finished detailing his last conversation with Sydney Drew. 

Cash let out a breath.

"That's some drama. That's for sure," he said, as he stood up and walked over to the bars. He turned back to face Sky. "You mean to tell me that you think she left just because of you?"

"That's what she told me," Sky said, sighing.

"And even after your hearing and everything that's going down on Earth, she hasn't shown back up?" Cash asked.

"No," Sky said. "I mean, I thought I saw her at the Galactic Council Center when I testified, but I was just seeing things."

"Well, if SPD is as great as you make it out to be, and if she was as dedicated as you made her out to be, I can't imagine her leaving just because of you," Cash smirked. "No offense."

"What are you trying to say?"

"You don't smell a rat here?" Cash said. "Syd leaves and you blame yourself. SPD closes down on Earth and you blame yourself. Come on. You're not the center of everyone's universe. I refuse to believe you're that important. If you were, they wouldn't have shipped you all the way out here."

"I'm just telling you what I know," Sky said, annoyed. "You asked."

"You're right," Cash said. "I did ask and judging by what you've told me, it sounds like something bigger's going on."

"Like what?" Sky said, looking curious. "You sound like there's some conspiracy at work here."

"What if there is?" Cash said, looking squarely at Sky.

As Sky let Cash's words sink in, he began to look back over his own story in a new light. It was a look that left him even more troubled than the truth he had convinced himself of.

* * *

Isinia Cruger's eyes began to flutter open, instantly raising the spirits of her husband, who was seated at her side. As he saw her eyes begin to move, he raised his head, thanking the heavens for bringing her back to him. Isinia's head turned towards him, as she felt his hand wrapped around hers. 

"Welcome back," Cruger said, happily.

Isinia began to frown, as she blinked her eyes repeatedly. Her left hand went to her stomach, which was even larger than she remembered it.

"What...happened?" she wondered.

"Your body rejected the enzyme injections that Shivan prescribed, because the pups were requiring more than you could produce. You fainted," Cruger said.

As Cruger spoke, Isinia's memory began to come back to her.

"Sky's hearing...," she muttered.

Cruger nodded.

"Do you remember anything about that day?" he asked.

"No," she responded. "It's all fuzzy. The verdict?"

"There was a tie in the votes. President Cali cast the deciding vote and he sentenced Sky to prison," Cruger revealed.

Isinia began to stir immediately, as she let out disappointing sigh.

"Where are you going?" Cruger said, nervously. "You need to rest."

"Sky...I have to talk to him," Isinia said.

"Isinia, that was days ago," Cruger said. "Sky's already on Fenix Prime, serving his sentence."

"Days?" Isinia said, as she leaned back on the pillow. At that moment, she began to look around, noticing it wasn't a hospital room. "Where are we?"

"Since your body rejected the enzyme shots, Shivan felt our only option was to bring you here, where you could breath them in freely. Isinia, we're back on Sirius," Cruger said.

"Oh," Isinia said, practically gasping. She began to rub her face with her hand. "How does it look out there?"

"It...," Cruger paused, nervously. "It doesn't matter. We just need to get you well enough to deliver and then we can take our children home."

Isinia nodded, as she held tighter to her husband's hand, knowing that he was right. Standing outside of the room, right next to the open doorway was Dr. Shivan Sevarus, who had been listening intently to their entire conversation. Sevarus shook his head, knowing that President Cali would not be pleased to hear of the Crugers' dedication to returning as soon as possible.

* * *

Kat Manx took a deep breath as she stood in the most familiar corridor of Earth's Delta Command Base. She stepped forward and the doors to the empty Command Center opened in front of her. She walked slowly inside, glancing at both sides of her. The sound of her heeled black boots hitting the floor was the only noticeable noise. 

For Kat, the Command Center felt more like a tomb than the hub of activity for SPD Earth. On this day, it was a fitting analogy. To her, today marked the death of a major part of her own history. This had been her home since she came to Earth twenty years before.

Kat made her way to the main control station in the center of the room. As she ran her fingers along the console, all of its panels were dim, like every other station in the Command Center.

"It's really coming to an end."

Kat turned quickly to see who had just entered and spoken. She knew the voice, of course, as she saw the somber face of Bridge Carson. Carrying an LCD pad, he walked a bit further in.

"The auxiliary station is fully stocked," Bridge reported. "The transport ships are ready to go. Sophie and I delivered the containment cards to the lead transport personally. Their security staff has an excellent setup. They should make it to their destination with no problem."

"I'm guessing they were all accounted for," Kat said.

"I personally hand-counted them all myself," Bridge said, with a smirk. "They were all there. You think our spy gave up?"

"I don't know. Maybe he just got what he wanted," Kat said.

He walked over to Kat, holding up the LCD pad.

"All that's left is your signature," Bridge said, as he handed it to her.

Kat sighed, as she stared at the pad, which contained the official orders for the Delta Command Base to be removed from Earth.

"Tell me something," Bridge said, sadly. "How can you sign that?"

"Honestly, Bridge, I don't know," Kat said, as she could feel the emotion building up within her.

"We're all going to be fine because we trust you," Bridge said. "But, when I look around this room, it's so hard for me to say this is right."

Kat looked into Bridge's eyes.

"When you're ordered to do something...you find a way to get it done, even when you know that it shouldn't be happening," Kat said, somberly signing the order. "I'm not giving up."

"Good," Bridge said, mustering a smile. "Because in about five minutes, there's gonna be a gigantic hole where we're standing and it's gonna be nothing compared to the blow our confidence is gonna take after today."

"I know," Kat said.

Bridge walked towards the entrance, then paused in his tracks. He turned around and sighed.

"They should be here," Bridge said, using his psychic powers to figure out what Kat was thinking in that moment.

"What?" Kat said, surprised.

"Cruger, Jack, Sky, Syd, Z...they should be here," Bridge said, agreeing with her thought.

Kat nodded, agreeing with Bridge, as he walked off. Left all alone in the Command Center, Kat dropped the LCD pad onto the main control station and let the tears flow.

* * *

Back on Sirius, Officer Hawk led Sam into a room in the small compound that had been set up for the new residents of Sirius. Sam followed Hawk closely, taking in his surroundings. 

"Unfortunately, we'll all be sharing the facilities," Hawk said. "They're across the hall."

Sam noticed a closed doorway on the inside of the room.

"So, what's that, a closet?" Sam asked, pointing to it.

"No," Hawk chuckled. "All the rooms are connected. You're at the end of the hall here so you only have one extra door. Mrs. Cruger's room is on the other side. I'm assuming the Supreme Commander will also be staying there, given the situation."

Hawk patted Sam on the back, as he headed towards the hallway.

"I guess they wanted you close by," Hawk said. "I'll leave you to get settled."

"Thanks," Sam said.

Sam pressed the control panel by the door, causing the doors to slide shut. He placed his bag on the small cot there and looked around the bare room. It was dark, despite the window on the far wall. He looked back at the adjoining doorway and sighed. Cruger wanted him close. He knew it. But, Sam also knew that he didn't need Cruger's protection. He sat down on his cot and grabbed his backpack, unzipping it. He reached inside and pulled out the Omega morpher he had placed there, before leaving Earth.

In the room on the opposite side of Isinia's, Dr. Shivan Sevarus held a small handheld transmitter, which he had activated, giving him a direct, clear connection to Andruss III, where the Galactic Council President had been listening to his update on the situation there.

"They are adamant about leaving Sirius once the pups are born," Sevarus concluded. "There is no way that I can prolong Isinia's pregnancy without causing her or the pups physical harm."

Throught the slight static, he waited to hear Cali's response.

"Doctor Sevarus, it is imperative that Doggie Cruger not return to Andruss III or to Earth anytime soon. I need time to ensure that my plans cannot be changed," Cali spoke.

"I don't understand what you want me to do," Sevarus said. "I'm a doctor."

"I want you to do your job," Cali said. "Just remember that your job includes answering to me and my orders. I will be sending a special surprise for Anubis that should keep him busy for some time. But you, doctor, may still be forced to make some...tough decisions that will not only ensure my position, but your own. So, I suggest you prepare yourself."

With that, Cali cut the transmission, leaving Sevarus curious about Cali's surprise and his plans for Sevarus himself.

* * *

As Syd reached into her purse to retrieve the keys to her apartment, she still felt saddened. She could hear Barrett and the other employees still talking in the main hosting area downstairs. They had been sharing stories about Mia, but Syd had found herself feeling more nauseous everytime Barrett spoke Mia's name. 

Syd unlocked her door and stepped inside, locking it behind her. As she flipped on the light switch and turned her back on the door, she took in the sight in front of her. She might have been surprised at what she saw, if it wasn't Z Delgado.

"What prompted this?" Syd said, as she walked over to Z, who was in her SPD Ranger suit, holding her helmet under her arm.

"Lady Vishus did," Z said.

"Oh no," Syd murmured. "Consuela was found out?"

"Yep, I messed up big time," Z said. "And, if Vishus knows I'm alive, there's no doubt Barrett will find out very soon."

"Well, it's par for the course today, I guess," Syd said, as she dropped her purse. "Your side of the investigation isn't the only one that's seen some movement. I think I may have figured out who Mia placed her last call to."

"Don't keep me in suspense. Who is it?" Z asked, curiously.

"Anna," Syd said, with a look of determination.

* * *

As Kat Manx exited the Delta Command Base, she walked off the grounds towards the street, where her skeleton crew had gathered. As she took up a position in front of the group, she turned to face SPD Headquarters. With the transport ships hovering at its sides, green tractor beams shot out of the ships and attached themselves to the Delta Command Base. 

As the structure was lifted into the sky, a brisk wind was generated. As it blew past Kat and her crew, the commander's hair blew in the wind. All eyes were locked on the base, as it was lifted higher and higher. Once he cleared the highest buildings in the area, the transport ships accelerated out into space, carrying the Delta Command Base into the stars, leaving Earth behind.

Kat closed her eyes for a second, as she turned to face her crew. Standing in front of them all, she glanced at each of their somber faces. Bridge, Sophie, Quinn and B-Squad stood side-by-side closest to her, with Murphy sitting next to them. Behind the Rangers, were her command crew who would operate the auxiliary Earth station. Pryce Jensen, Ghiren and Niyako were accompanied by the repair crew and the small medical team.

Kat took a deep breath as she tried to figure out what to say to them all.

"I know this is hard," Kat stated, her voice loud and strong. "But, SPD is nothing if not enduring. We here on Earth personify that. We will endure this. I know it. We're all wounded and I'm sure some part of you feels betrayed, but our greatest weapon in this fight, is our ability to heal. I will heal and I will do my best to make sure that we all do. We can do this. We can go on, because that's what SPD does. We fight until the war is won. In my mind, the war will not end until that base is back where it belongs."

As Kat's eyes passed over that small crowd again, she saw the smiles, the looks of determination and the courage to endure.

* * *

On Fenix Prime, Sky found himself lying down on his bunk, unable to shake Cash's words to him. Could there be a conspiracy at work within Space Patrol Delta? How could there be, he thought. If that were true, then Sky knew he was being turned into a scapegoat. His actions had been the catalyst for everything that had happened. But, had Sky been beating himself up over nothing? 

Inside the warden's office, Alton Gaines found himself in the middle of a conversation with the Galactic Council President.

"I'm sorry to hear that your man on the inside was unsuccessful," Cali said to Gaines.

"We tried," Gaines said. "Thankfully, Tate will be here for a year. There will be plenty of time for another attempt."

"No," Cali said, sternly. "There isn't time. But you don't have to worry about Tate anymore, Warden Gaines. I realize now that this is a mission that I must leave to professionals!"

Gaines was silently offended at his remark, but glad that he wouldn't be forced to orchestrate murder.

"What does that mean?" Gaines asked.

"That means that you should be expecting a very interesting visit, Warden," Cali said, as he signed off abruptly.

Alone in his office, Cali reached onto his desk and grabbed a mechanical device, which resembled a staple gun. He reached into his drawer with his free hand and pulled out the small metal box which Dr. Sevarus had delivered to him. He reached inside and pulled out one of the containment cards. After a quick glance, he attached the card to the hand-held card reader and pressed a sequence of buttons, which caused the card to spark a bit, before depositing its prisoner onto the floor on the other side of his desk.

Cali stood up and walked around his desk, smiling, as he saw the being getting to its feet.

"Finally!" the formerly-confined criminal cackled.

"Hello...Morgana."

With a sneer on her face, she turned to get a good look at the Galactic Council President.

"Who are you?" Morgana said harshly.

"I am the one who has freed you," Cali said.

"What happened?" Morgana said looking confused, as she began to touch her body. "How did I get back like this?"

"I fear that after Gruumm was destroyed last year, his power over your child-like form was completely lost," Cali explained.

"Oooh, that Gruumm!" Morgana sneered. "I thought he had changed me back for good! It's a good thing he's dead, or I'd kill him!"

"Well, I'm glad to hear you're in the mood for...extermination," Cali said, deviously. "If you want to keep your newfound freedom, you're going to have to work for me."

"What does that mean?" Morgan asked.

"That means there is someone who I need taken care of," Cali said, cryptically. "You'll be glad to know that it will also allow you to get some revenge against Earth's SPD Rangers...one Ranger in particular. Sky Tate!"

"Hmm, revenge sounds lovely," Morgana said, with a devilish smile.

"I'm glad you think so," Cali said, as he walked back around his desk and reached inside the containment card box again, retrieving four of the five remaining cards.

He handed the cards to Morgana.

"I've arranged for some backup to assist you in your mission," Cali said.

Morgana glanced at the cards and instantly smiled as she saw some old friends.

"Perfect," Morgana said, as she peeked back into the box. "But what about that one?"

"I have other plans for him," Cali said.

Morgana didn't care about Cali's other plans. Her eyes drifted back to the four containment cards in her hands, as she beamed with evil glee.

"This is going to be fun!" she said, with a maniacal laugh.

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Retribution"**_  
The Rangers find themselves reunited with an old friend.  
Cruger is forced to make a tough decision, after hearing of  
SPD Earth's new trouble. President Cali officially announces  
the details of the closure of the SPD Academy on Earth, which  
has everyone in Newtech City on edge. Syd meets Barrett's  
mother, giving her new insight into Van Tigue. Cash helps  
Sky survive his first night in the Myers Detention facility._


	14. Retribution

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"RETRIBUTION"**

Officer James Sonsky stood outside of the Myers Detention Center on Fenix Prime, glad to be on the outside, if only for a while. He glanced up at the burning red sky. It always amazed him. Even though the atmosphere of this planet looked like hell, the true purgatory was inside the walls at Myers.

Ironically, he only got to escape that hell at times like this. A new prisoner was scheduled to arrive and as the head guard, he always liked to greet new arrivals. It also afforded him some extra time away from the insanity that brewed within the detention facility. As he watched the arriving spacecraft descend onto the landing platform on the roof, he took a deep breath, knowing his time on the outside was growing short once again.

Sonsky watched intently as the prisoner was helped off the craft, in chains, by his security detail. The fact that the prisoner was wearing a hooded version of the prison suits didn't surprise Sonsky as much as the identity of his security detail. It was rare that any prisoner would be given only one escort officer and it was even more unlikely that the lone officer would be female. But, that was the situation coming towards Sonsky at that very moment. He nodded at the female uniformed officer.

"Don't look so shocked," she said, her voice strong and forceful. "I can take care of this piece of trash."

She handed Sonsky the LCD pad that carried the prisoner's transfer orders. Sonsky quickly glanced at it, before keying in his security clearance and handing it back to the officer. He turned to the doorway, leading into the prison and keyed in his security access code, which caused the door to unlock with a loud clank. He took hold of the prisoner, only to notice the woman had not let go of the prisoner.

"I'll take it from here," Sonsky said, seriously.

"I don't think so," she said, with a sneer. "You didn't read very closely. That transfer order was for him...and me!"

"What?" Sonsky said, confused, as he reread the information on the pad.

It was true. The orders included the transfer of one "Officer A. Morgan."

"This doesn't make sense," Sonsky said, "There's no females allowed here. It's an all-male facility."

"Well, times have changed," Officer Morgan said, as she shuffled her prisoner inside, without another word.

* * *

Back on Earth, inside the apartment of Sydney Drew, above the Purgatory lounge, she sat listening to Z Delgado's retelling of how her secret identity as Consuela Vargas had literally fell apart thanks to Lady Vishus. Z sat next to her on the couch in her living room, once again unmorphed. 

"I wanted to arrest her so bad," Z said, finishing her story.

"I know the feeling," Syd chimed in. "She's not just hovering at the mansion, either. I haven't been able to get close to Barrett's office downstairs because whenever he's away, she's here."

"The good thing, I guess, is that I Barrett's home office was empty. Whatever Mia may have found there was gone," Z explained. "Not that I had a ton of time to look around, with Vishus showing up."

"Vishus is bad news," Syd said.

"She's strong too," Z said. "I mean I've never faced anyone who could fight like that without a morpher."

"I'll remember that if my back's against the wall," Syd said, forcing a smile. "So, if Vishus knows you're alive then Barrett will too. That's gonna cause some complications."

"Not just for them," Z said, as she stood up, sighing. "I saw Piggy at Barrett's shortly before the fight with Vishus."

"You think Barrett's going to tell Piggy you're still alive?"

"I'm betting on it," Z said. "If Piggy finds out I'm alive after what he did, he's gonna know I'm coming for him."

"What's the next step?" Syd asked.

"I'm not sure. I need to check in with Kat," Z said. "What about Anna?"

"I'm still trying to figure out what to do about that. I'm almost certain that Mia called Anna. It makes sense. Why else would she deliberately destroy her cellphone if she wasn't trying to keep her killer from knowing who she called? The person Mia cared about the most is her daughter," Syd explained.

"But if she told Anna about Barrett's plans, why wasn't she frightened at the funeral to be around him?" Z asked.

"I don't know," Syd said. "I just hope I can find out before she gets adopted and all information on her becomes classified."

"Good luck," Z said, before realizing she was forgetting something. "Oh, wait. I have something for you."

Z dug into her pocket and pulled out a small LCD pad, which she handed to Syd.

"What's this?" Syd wondered.

"Quinn asked me to give it to you. It's a letter...from Sky."

Syd was taken aback when she realized what she held in her hand. The last person she had expected to hear from was Sky, especially after learning that he was convicted and sent to prison by the Galactic Council.

* * *

On Sirius, Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger stood directly outside of the small bunker that had been erected on the planet, to house his group during their stay on Sirius. Standing with him was Officer Aaron Hawk. The two had been discussing the communications problems they had been experiencing on the planet. 

"That asteroid field really screwed us over," Hawk said, in his thick southern accent. "Two of the comm. buoys were totally destroyed. So, off-planet communications are practically non-existent."

"Practically?" Cruger asked, hopefully.

"I got static," Hawk said, somberly.

"Static's not good," Cruger said.

"Yes sir," Hawk said. "But hopefully, if I tweak some of the shuttle's systems I'll be able to find us an outside frequency to bounce a signal off of."

"You think that could work?"

"It'll take a while, but if I find the right frequency, it should work well enough to allow us to hear who's callin' and make a few calls of our own," Hawk explained.

"Good," Cruger said. "I need to contact Earth and Andruss III as soon as possible."

"I'll get to work," Hawk said, as he walked off towards the shuttle, which was parked about a mile away from the bunker.

As Cruger watched him go, Dr. Shivan Sevarus stood on the inside of the bunker, listening intently to their conversation, through the cracked entrance door. He sighed, as he turned away from the door, lowering his head. Feelings of worry crept into his mind.

I hope your surprise is on the way, Mr. President, because I know Doggie Cruger and there's no way he's going to keep himself cut off from the galaxy for long.

* * *

Hours later on Earth, the center of Newtech City certainly looked bare. There was a massive piece of property that was now occupied by a small one-level auxiliary station set up to house the small contingent of S.P.D. personnel left behind to protect Earth. It would surely be a massive task for the group inside, if real trouble were to break out on the planet requiring Ranger attention. 

Directly in front of the small steel-colored structure was a parking lot, where two patrol jeeps and two patrol cars were parked, ready for use as needed. Sticking out like a sore thumb in the lot was the large Blast Buggy, which was double the size of one patrol jeep. Beneath the structure and it's lot was the zord holding bay, where the Rangers' Delta Runners and S.W.A.T. Flyers were ready to be called at a moment's notice. The Omegamax Cycle also found a home there, out of sight of Newtech's population.

To the naked eye, it looked calm and orderly. But to those inside, it was a distressing sight that most didn't care to pay too much attention to. In fact, no one was outside of the structure at the moment a black car pulled into that parking lot, signaling a visitor's arrival.

Inside the building, there were few rooms. One of the biggest was the office of S.P.D. Earth's Commander, Kat Manx. It paled in comparison to her former office, however. The fact that it doubled as Command Central for monitoring the city proved that. Kat sat at her desk in the back of the room, which was a third of the size of the Delta Base's Command Center.

She glanced up past her terminal at the doorway that was a few feet in front of her desk. On the left side of the doorway was the tracking station, currently being configured by one of her long-time technicians, Ghiren. On the right was the communications station, where Niyako, the tan pint-sized alien from the planet Kayoie, floated gracefully, running her slender fingers along the control console.

The rest of the former Command Center's control stations were all patched through Kat's terminal on her desk. She took a deep breath, as she realized just how dire things had become. The doors to Command Central slid open and she was greeted by the four B-Squad cadets, who took their places in a straight line, saluting their commander. Kat stood up and walked around her desk, with a smile.

"At ease," she said, allowing them all to take more relaxed positions. "You're right on time. Now that we've gotten things situated around here, I've decided to reinstate B-Squad patrols of the city."

The B-Squad Rangers all nodded along, listening intently.

"Nothing major," Kat explained. "Show your faces. Answer any of the public's questions tactfully. Of course, respond if you see anything out of the ordinary. I want Newtech City to see that we're still here and we're still going to protect them. If you run into any real trouble, call for backup."

"Understood," Boom said, speaking for the group.

"Also, I want you to keep an eye out for Piggy," Kat added. "We haven't seen or heard from him in days. If you find him, I want you to bring him in."

"You mean like arrest him?" Casey Parker asked.

"No," Kat said, forcing a smile. "Of course not. I just have some questions for Piggy. That's all."

"Don't worry, Commander. If we see him, we'll let him know you want to speak with him," Duc Sato spoke with a twinge of excitement.

"Okay, good day," Kat said.

With that, B-Squad shuffled out of Command Central. The hallway outside of the room wasn't very large either. Directly across from Command Central was the situation room, where Kat could hold meetings with larger groups of people without clogging the main command room. As B-Squad walked down the corridor and turned the corner, passing Dr. Jensen's new laboratory, Duc pulled a piece of folded paper from his pocket and glanced at it. B-Squad's Pink Ranger, Meg Thurman glanced over his shoulder to see the printout of Prax's S.P.D. record.

"I knew that pep in your step wasn't for nothing," she said, with a smirk.

"This is perfect," Duc said. "Back on patrol. While we're out there, we can take a few minutes to search around for Prax."

Casey and Meg nodded along with him, but Boom, who had been leading the way, turned and faced all three.

"Searching for Prax wasn't our mission," Boom said. "If you want to look for him, you should have told Kat about it."

"Boom, I'm not saying we shouldn't do our jobs," Duc said. "I'm just saying we can kill two birds with one stone. It can't hurt to keep an eye out for him, while we're keeping an eye out for Piggy, right?"

"I guess," Boom said, as he turned back around, leading B-Squad towards the nearest exit.

Back in Command Central, Kat was glancing at Ghiren's work on configuring the tracking station. She nodded her approval.

"Good work. Keep an eye on B-Squad's signals just in case they need assistance," Kat said.

"You don't think they'll call in?" Ghiren asked, curiously.

"I know Rangers," Kat said, as she turned and walked towards her desk. "When a fight breaks out, they grab their morphers for battle, not for calling home."

As Kat reached her desk, she heard the doors to Command Central slide open again behind her. She turned around to see Sophie walking in.

"Commander, there's someone here to see you," Sophie said, looking a bit confused.

"Oh, who is it?" Kat said.

As Kat's question floated out of her mouth, the figure who had arrived in the black car walked into Command Central, catching her off-guard.

"Commander Manx, this is Dr. Lee—" Sophie tried to introduce the man, but Kat cut her off, proving she already knew his identity.

"Jiang!" Kat said, aloud, surprised.

"We know each other," the Asian scientist stated to Sophie, as he passed her, walking over to shake Kat's hand.

Sophie watched Dr. Jiang intently, as the Vanguard X scientist walked past her. After pausing for another moment to glance at the man, Sophie departed.

"Unfortunately, only in passing," Kat said, as she smiled, taking his hand. "I have to say this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting you."

"I heard about the Council's announcement," Dr. Jiang said, his voice pitch perfect, despite his advanced age. "I'm disappointed for your loss."

"We hope the move is only temporary," Kat said.

"The purpose of my visit was to inquire what you planned to do about Delta X?" Dr. Jiang asked curiously.

"Delta X?" Kat asked, looking confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you can't really be planning on continuing things now that there's no Delta Command Base to store the robots," Dr. Jiang said, as he looked around. "That's one of the reasons I came in person. There really isn't room now for the Delta X Series robots."

"Dr. Jiang, I don't understand," Kat said. "I stopped continuation of the Delta X Project weeks ago."

"Then why has Dr. Jensen been corresponding with me on the repairs and configuration of the robots?" Dr. Jiang asked. "I was under the impression that he was continuing with the project."

Kat's confusion quickly turned to anger, as she pieced together what Dr. Jiang was telling her.

"I have no idea what Pryce was up to," Kat said, fuming. "But I'm going to find out."

* * *

Inside the Warden's office, Alton Gaines found himself practically speechless as he read the orders in his hand, requiring him to take on Officer Morgan as a guard at Myers Detention Center. 

On the other side of his desk, Officer Morgan stood next to Officer Sonsky, with a huge smile on her face.

"Sir, this can't be right," Sonsky said. "It has to be some kind of mistake."

"I assure you it's no mistake," Morgan said, tipping her hat to Gaines. "I requested this assignment. I've heard great things about how you run this place, Warden Gaines."

Gaines' eyes raised from the LCD pad in his hand. He glanced at Officer Morgan and then at Sonsky.

"Sonsky...you'll show Officer Morgan around," Gaines ordered.

Sonsky was completely dumb-founded at the announcement.

"But sir—" Sonsky started to protest.

"Make sure she gets the appropriate keys and a tour of the facility," Gaines ordered, sternly.

Sonsky nodded to Gaines and headed for the door, giving the new officer a sneer, before exiting. Once Sonsky was out of the office, Officer Morgan sauntered over to Gaines' desk and removed her hat.

"Good job, Warden," Morgana said, in her thick accent. "President Cali sends his regards."

"I still don't understand," Gaines said. "Riggs couldn't get the job done and he's three times your size. Tate may not have any powers, but he still knows how to protect himself."

"Don't you worry about Sky Tate," Morgana said, with a smirk. "My team and I will need access to the entire prison. Once we have it, you can leave Sky to us."

"I assume your team consists of more than just that one prisoner you brought in?" Gaines asked.

"Oh, trust me, Warden," Morgana said with a smile. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

* * *

Syd collapsed onto the couch in her apartment, staring off, trying to clear her thoughts, as she nervously tapped the LCD pad in her hand against her leg. After taking a deep breath, she activated the electronic device, causing the letter from Sky to scroll onto the screen. She closed her eyes for a moment, hesitating to look at the text of his message. After shaking her head, she opened her eyes and began reading: 

_Dear Syd,_

_I debated whether I should even write this letter since I'm not sure you'll ever read it. But in the end, I realized that I needed to get the words out, even if you never see this letter. I pushed you away from S.P.D. and that's something that I've regretted ever since the day I saw you walk away. I couldn't see past my own anger or my own hurt._

_I let my emotions govern my life and I forced everyone around me to endure them as well. I hate that I made my feelings seem more important than yours. I pushed you aside over and over until you couldn't take it anymore. It's now that I realize the true consequences of my actions. But it wasn't my hearing that forced me to see my errors. It was your absence._

_You left because you didn't think I would change, that I could change. But your departure did just that. You showed me what I had to lose and losing the real you meant more than losing any false ideals that I built up in my head about my past. I've lost so much, but you're still at the top of that list._

_The worst part is that I know you're better off, wherever you are. I know that you've found peace away from me. During my hearing, I thought I saw you. They all convinced me that it was my imagination due to the all the stress. But, I like to believe it was really you. Knowing you were by my side, for only a moment, helped me get through it._

_I've changed for the better and that's something you may never learn. It's strange. I'm better off for knowing you and worse off for losing you. Knowing that, I realize that my hearing doesn't really matter. If I'm sent off to prison, it would be no different than returning to Earth. Either way, you wouldn't be there. Either way, I'll be disappointed because of that fact._

_Signed, _

_Sky_

Syd tried hard not to shed a tear, knowing that it would do no good. She stood up and paced around the apartment, realizing just how much her life had changed since that day. She had wanted to leave S.P.D. because Sky was turning into a dangerous soul that she couldn't let corrupt her own.

Cruger had changed her mind, offered her escape, even if it was only temporary. It was at that moment that Syd realized she took comfort in knowing her undercover assignment was temporary. It meant that one day she could return to her home. In her mind, she had always wished Sky would change in that time. Now, she knew that he had...but he was no longer going to be there when she returned.

There was something she had to do. Syd walked into her bedroom, grabbing her cellphone from her bed. She dialed a quick number and waited for someone to answer, hoping that he would.

"Hello."

Syd was relieved to hear his voice. "I need your help," she said.

* * *

Downstairs, Barrett Van Tigue sat at the desk inside of his office, as he watched Lady Vishus saunter towards him, with a glimmer in her eye and a hand behind her back. She had entered only a few moments before looking like the cat that captured the canary. 

"I come bearing gifts," she said, her voice slick and heavy, as if she had been smoking six boxes of cigars.

"For me?" Barrett asked, curiously. "After I gave you the day off, I expected you to be the one out shopping, or at least resting after your last...encounter."

"You know me. I'm never one to rest on my laurels, especially when there's treasure to be found," Vishus said, as she revealed what she had been hiding behind her back.

She dropped a clear plastic bag onto Barrett's desk. He leaned over, taking a closer look. Inside the sealed bag were the broken remains of Mia Storm's cellphone. Barrett looked up at Vishus and smiled.

"Someone's been sneaking around Newtech P.D." Barrett asked.

"I didn't have to. Our friend Lieutenant Gordon informed me that Mia's _tragic _suicide has been ruled as such and the case is now closed. He didn't see any reason to keep that around since it's no longer evidence," Vishus explained. "He also told me that the data chips seem to be intact."

"That means we can track her last phone activity," Barrett surmised.

"Calls, texts, everything," Vishus said. "It'll take a while to get all the records compiled, but it won't be long before we know exactly what she was up to."

"Well you delete a few names from the possible call list," Barrett said. "We know she didn't phone the police, either of us...or Space Patrol Delta. They'd have been busting down our doors by now if they knew about that evidence."

"What about Syren?" Vishus said, with a sneer.

"Mia and Syren weren't on speaking terms when Mia died," Barrett said. "I doubt she'd call her."

"But Mia turned against you," Vishus said, angrily. "She might have tried to get that Syren to do the same."

"But Syren hasn't," Barrett deduced. "In fact, she's gotten closer since Mia's death."

"I still don't trust her," Vishus said.

"Of course you don't," Barrett said, with a smirk. "Thankfully, you don't have to. Just get to work on finding the information. It'll make things a lot less complicated around here once we know why she broke the cell."

"Well, you're right about that," Vishus said. "We certainly don't need more complications, especially after the resurrection of S.P.D.'s Yellow Ranger."

Barrett frowned, knowing that he still had to deal with that situation and the person he blamed for the entire debacle. Piggy was going to pay for screwing up.

* * *

Inside his new laboratory, Dr. Pryce Jensen was busy unpacking the last of his equipment. When he pulled out the case containing the extra morphers, he thought back to the missing Omega morpher and was still troubled. Kat had told him that she figured young Sam Hastings had taken the device to Sirius. When he heard the doors to the laboratory slide open behind him, he knew exactly who entered. He had spent so much time with Kat Manx that even without turning, he knew it was her. Pryce had become used to her scent. He smiled, without turning. 

"You know, I was just thinking," Pryce said. "We should really contact Sirius and warn Sam about the Omega morpher. I mean Omallix's crew created that technology. We can't be sure it'll have the same effects on Sam as our own creations. Just as a precaution."

"I've already tried. Communications are down."

Pryce's smile faded, as he picked up on the tone in her voice. It was dark, angry. He turned around slowly and saw Kat had indeed entered, but she wasn't alone. Dr. Jiang was standing beside her. Pryce now knew exactly why she was upset.

"Dr. Jiang's here, Pryce," Kat said, sarcastically. "He came to check on the progress you've made with the Delta X Project, a project that is supposed to be non-existent!"

"I was not informed that Commander Manx was unaware of our conversations," Dr. Jiang said to Pryce. "You led me to believe she was."

Pryce walked closer to Kat, looking apologetic.

"I can explain—"

"Save it!" Kat said, sternly. "You disobeyed my orders to discontinue the Delta X Project and you've been working on it behind my back for weeks!"

Sensing the tension rising in the room, Dr. Jiang made a quick decision.

"I should go," he announced. "I have some other appointments and I can see you two need to talk. If I can be of any further assistance, Commander Manx, please feel free to contact me."

Kat nodded to Jiang, as he exited the laboratory and headed for the nearest exit. As he turned the corner, Sophie was seen walking with Quinn at the other end of the hallway. Sophie caught sight of Jiang and stopped, watching him leave. Quinn noticed her stop and followed suit.

"What is it?" he wondered.

"It's...nothing," Sophie said.

"Who was that?" Quinn asked.

"A scientist at Vanguard X," Sophie said, as she continued walking.

Quinn wanted to ask more questions, but he could sense Sophie wasn't going to reveal much more and the two continued on their way. Back inside Pryce's lab, Kat was still fuming.

"You don't understand," Pryce explained. "The problems weren't unfixable! We've worked out all of the bugs in the robots' programming."

"You didn't have the authorization!" Kat yelled.

Pryce kept quiet, as he sensed that there was no way Kat would see his side of things.

"And you knew I was against it," Kat said, this time her voice was low, conveying a disappointment that made Pryce feel worse than any scream could. "But you did it anyway."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Pryce said. "But if I did, you would have made me stop and I had nothing to lose by continuing."

Kat stared into his eyes.

"You lost my trust," Kat said, quietly, as she left the laboratory.

* * *

On Sirius, Sam sat on the cot inside his small room, gently holding the Omega morpher in his hands. He wasn't sure how durable the device was, although it had been through so much in Jack's hands that he figured it was pretty sturdy. Still, Sam always held it as if it were made of delicate glass that could break in an instant. He wanted to know how it worked, ever since he learned that it would belong to him in the future. 

Sam had seen Jack under evil's control up close the day the morpher was activated for Landors to work for Omallix. Sam had been forced to shed blood to make it work. Sam's hand formed a fist, as he remembered the pain of the cut. Jack had attacked his own friends while he was Omega Ranger and he died fighting with that morpher attached to his wrist. Sam knew it was his legacy to own that morpher, but it was Jack's tenure as Omega that remained etched in Sam's brain.

It was partially due to the fact that Sam had never been allowed to spend time with the Omega Ranger of the future. Commander Cruger didn't want to damage young Sam's future and Sam was kept in seclusion until the Omega Ranger returned to the future. Sam smirked a bit, as he realized that even back then Doggie Cruger was making decisions that would affect his life.

It was at that moment that Sam heard Cruger's voice coming from the corridor outside his room. It didn't sound as it normally did. His speech was a bit slurred and hard to make out. Sam returned the morpher to his backpack and walked out into the hallway, where he saw Doggie Cruger asleep in a chair outside of Isinia's room next door. As Sam slowly walked closer, he presumed Cruger was having a nightmare.

"Mm, no," Cruger mumbled. "Benaag...let her go!"

"Commander," Sam called out, touching Cruger's shoulder.

Doggie was instantly knocked from his dream and jumped to his feet. Sam stepped back a few feet, caught off-guard by the Sirian's sudden movements.

"You all right?" Sam asked.

Cruger took a deep breath and looked around, regaining his bearings. He once again found himself dreaming of the last battle on Sirius. He had been unable to avoid the past, or Benaag's cackle of laughter after he took his wife.

"I'm fine," Doggie responded, straightening his uniform. "I wanted to give Isinia some time to rest. I guess I needed some myself."

"It didn't sound like you were resting to me," Sam said, looking confused.

"Sam, I'm fine," Doggie said. "This place holds a lot of memories for me. Not all of them are pleasant."

Sam nodded along, as the doors to Isinia's room opened and Dr. Shivan Sevarus emerged. He gave a brief nod to Sam before turning his attention to Doggie completely.

"Anubis, it's time," Sevarus said. "Isinia has reached the birthing stage. Your children are ready to breathe on their own."

Sam glanced at Cruger giving him a congratulatory smile.

"Come along. She's waiting for you," Sevarus told him.

Cruger followed Sevarus back into the room. Sam watched as the doors closed. He took a seat in the chair he found Cruger sleeping in and waited.

"Well, this is gonna be a short trip," Sam said, as he sighed.

* * *

On Fenix Prime, Sky was nearing the end of his shift inside the detention center's kitchen. Lunch had been served fifteen minutes before and the prisoners were all enjoying their meals in the cafeteria next door. Sky was busy cleaning up his part of the mess, looking forward to enjoying his own lunch. 

As he finished washing his last dish, he ripped the disposable hair net from his head and threw it in the trash. He closed his eyes, as he stretched.

"Finally," he muttered to himself. "It's over."

"Ha ha ha, it'll never be over!"

Sky's eyes popped open and he quickly looked around the kitchen, seeing that no one was close enough to have spoken to him. The voice, raspy and deep, sounded strangely familiar.

"Who said that?" Sky asked aloud, but he heard no response.

He shrugged and began gathering the now-clean cooking pots and pans. He started to store them away for their next use.

"Great," he said, shaking his head. "Now you're hearing things."

He grabbed a large stainless steel baking sheet, which he prepared to place on the top shelf of a cabinet at the back of the kitchen. As he raised the cooking sheet past his face, Sky caught the reflection of something behind him. He pulled the sheet back to look into it. His eyes grew wide as he saw his old enemy Mirloc staring at him.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten me!" Mirloc's voice pierced Sky's ears.

He dropped the backing sheet instantly and turned around to see that no one was standing there. All Sky heard was the maniacal laughter he had heard too many times before from his father's killer.

"This is not happening," Sky said. "You're in prison light-years away from here."

"Tate!"

Sky turned quickly, caught off-guard by Officer Sonsky's yell. He saw the guard at the doorway, glancing at his watch.

"Who are you talking to?" Sonsky asked.

"No one," Sky said, quickly, as he glanced back around the kitchen, knowing Mirloc couldn't be there.

"Well, you better hurry up if you want to eat," Sonsky said, annoyed. "I'm not extending lunch."

After Sonsky departed, Sky found himself looking round the kitchen, looking for some sign of Mirloc. He knew what he saw and heard, but after searching every corner of the room, he found nothing.

* * *

When she heard the knock at her door, Syd zipped over to it, peeking through the peephole. She almost burst into laughter at who she saw. 

"Delivery!" the man's voice was low and gruff.

Syd unlocked her door and found the delivery man, wearing a brown jumpsuit, glasses and a thick mustache. He tipped his matching brown hat to her with one hand, as his other hand held onto a flat box, that looked like it could have carried a dozen or so large paintings inside.

"Come on in," Syd said, as she glanced into the hallway, seeing that no one else was around. "Did you have trouble finding the place?"

She closed the door.

"Nope. It was smooth sailing all the way," the delivery man said, with a wink.

Syd smiled, as she pointed to her bedroom.

"You can set it up in there," she said, leading the way.

After opening the box, the delivery man pulled out a flat screen communications monitor, followed by a control console, which he began installing on Syd's desk. As he worked, Syd peeked inside the box to see what else was inside. She was curious and pulled out three large canvas rolls.

"What are these for?" she asked.

"Backdrops," the delivery man said, his voice now a bit more familiar. "I figured you wouldn't want your contact to know where you were calling from."

"Good thinking," Syd said, smiling. "Thanks."

The delivery man turned to her and removed his glasses.

"Do you mind?" he asked, pointing to his mustache.

"Not at all," Syd said. "Make yourself comfortable."

"This thing has been itching me to death!" Bridge said, as he ripped it from his lip. "Ouch!"

"I can't believe you went to all this trouble," Syd said.

"You said you needed my help," Bridge said, sincerely, as he went back to installing the computer terminal.

Syd sat on her bed, glancing at the canvas backdrops. One was completely black, while another depicted windows and a skyline. The realism of it surprised Syd.

"He'll be glad to hear from you," Bridge said, quietly, while working.

"What?" Syd called out.

Bridge paused his working again and turned back to Syd.

"Sky," he said. "He'll be glad to hear from you."

"How do you know I wanted this to call Sky?" Syd asked, curiously.

"If I said it was a hunch, would you believe me?"

"Bridge, I always believe your hunches," Syd said, answering his question in her own way.

"Okay, I'll get back to work...ma'am," Bridge said, as he turned back to the computer terminal.

"Have you talked to him since he's been there?" she asked.

"No," Bridge said. "I've wanted to call, but I know he's got limited time. Only one call every week or so. I figured that if he wanted to talk he'd call. But, he hasn't."

"Well it hasn't been two weeks," Syd said. "He still could."

"It's okay," Bridge said. "Besides, I'm sure he'd much rather use the time to talk to you. You'll be in luck too. With Cruger on Sirius and everyone busy with the base closing, I doubt Sky's had any callers. I know he's been wondering where you've been."

"I wish I could tell him," Syd said, as she walked over to Bridge and glanced over his shoulder as he worked.

"What are you gonna tell him?" Bridge asked.

"Honestly...I don't know yet," Syd said, somberly.

After a few more minutes of connecting cables and power sources, Bridge slapped his hands together.

"I think you're good to go," Bridge said. "I kept everything simple and undetectable by your landlord."

"Thanks. You're a lifesaver," Syd said, giving him a hug.

Syd watched as Bridge walked over to the mirror, resetting his disguise.

"You know, Syd," he said, "It doesn't really matter what you tell Sky. When he sees your face, that's all he'll need to know."

Syd sighed, as she figured Bridge was right. Still, seeing Sky in prison wasn't going to be easy for her either. Their lives had changed so much and she wasn't sure if the Sky she left behind was the same man. In fact, she was now sure that he wasn't.

* * *

Inside Barrett's Purgatory office, Piggy found himself cowering in a chair in front of Barrett's office. Prax and Vishus were standing at his sides. Each of them had a hand on one of Piggy's shoulders, making sure he couldn't stand up. Barrett sat behind his desk, glaring at Piggy. 

"I heard the news," Piggy said. "Sorry about your girlfriend."

"My frown has nothing to do with Mia's death, Piggy!" Barrett said, angrily. "It has everything to do with you and your failure."

"Failure...that's a little harsh, isn't it?" Piggy said, stuttering a bit. "S.P.D. closed the Delta Base. It's not like I could have stuck around there to keep tabs on them like you wanted."

"I'm not really concerned about all of the Rangers right now, Piggy," Barrett explained. "It's more one Ranger in particular. Maybe you know her. Z Delgado!"

"What?" Piggy said, genuinely confused.

"She's alive, you rat!" Vishus yelled directly into Piggy's face, spraying it with some wayward drops of spit.

"She's alive?"

"Did I stutter, you moron?" Vishus said.

"But—but-I..I saw her!" Piggy exclaimed. "She fell off the roof. I pushed her!"

"That's what you told us," Prax said. "But, Lady Vishus' met her up close and personal!"

"Maybe...maybe it was someone else," Piggy stammered. "S.P.D. could be recruiting!"

"It was Delgado!" Vishus screamed.

Barrett raised his hands, silencing his associates.

"Piggy, the Yellow Ranger is alive. That complicates things a little. I needed the Ranger team broken. But now I learn that they're not as fractured as I wanted them to be," Barrett said. "You had one simple task. Eliminate one S.P.D. Ranger. You failed, Piggy and you know that means."

"You're upset?"

"I'm furious!" Barrett yelled. "Piggy, this means that your debt to me has been completely reinstated and you're going to need much more than a lottery ticket to pay your way out of this one!"

"Hmm," Vishus said, slyly. "I think it's time to break some legs!"

"No...no," Piggy said. "My legs are my best feature."

"Not for long," Vishus whispered to him.

"Piggy, you truly are worthless," Barrett said. "I don't tolerate worthlessness. I won't delude myself into believing that you'll pay your debt. I offered you an easy out and you couldn't even handle that. So, Piggy, unfortunately for you, I have no use for you anymore."

"But—but—let me try again!" Piggy plead. "Barrett, I swear. I can do better! I'll pay you! We'll be all even."

"Oh, we're going to be even, Piggy," Barrett said. "I'm going to get even right now."

"What?" Vishus said to Barrett. "You're going to let me kill him right?"

"I could use a little action myself," Prax chimed in. "He's been tormenting me for days at the factory!"

As the two argued amongst themselves, annoying Barrett in the process, Piggy's brain worked overtime. His will to live had always been his strongest attribute and he wasn't ready to let it go now.

At that moment, Barrett's cell phone rang.

"Oh, who is that?" Vishus said, angrily. "We're in the middle of something!"

Barrett picked up the cellphone, as Prax & Vishus both glanced over the desk to see who was calling. Barrett looked confused, as he read the caller ID.

"Piggy?"

Vishus and Prax shared a confused look. All three turned to Piggy, who was now gone from his chair.

"Dammit!" Barrett said. "Find him!"

Prax and Vishus rushed off towards the rear exit. When Vishus stepped out into the alley, she saw Piggy's cellphone in the gutter. Prax ran along, trying to pick up Piggy's trail. Vishus dropped the phone back on the ground, sneering. She stomped on it with her heeled black leather boot, crushing it, on her way out of the alley.

* * *

Although many of the prisoners in the detention center on Fenix Prime had finished their meals, the cafeteria was still packed with inmates, chatting. All Sky saw when he waded through them was the mess they would leave behind that would have to be cleaned. He reached a table where only a few prisoners were seated. The area in the middle was empty and he took a seat, letting out a deep sigh, before biting into the apple on his tray. He wasn't in the mood for anything heavy. 

Sky wanted to clear his head after his hallucination in the kitchen. He steadied himself, knowing that there was no way that Mirloc could have been there. He took a deep breath, knowing this wasn't the time for him to be going insane. He glanced a few tables away at Cash Donovan who was deep in conversation with several inmates about something...or rather someone.

Sky looked up to where he saw Cash pointing. Through the upper level window, they saw Warden Gaines standing in his office, watching chow time, along with a female security guard. Sky's brow furrowed, as he recalled that females weren't allowed to serve in all-male prisons. He shook his head, dismissing it as another oddity to cross his path on this day.

While Sky was looking up at the warden's office, he never noticed a prisoner slide his tray down in front of Sky. The prisoner who had been at the end of that table slid down in front of Sky, as Sky's eyes returned to his tray, not even bothering to look up at who had joined him. As Sky took another bite of his apple, he heard the keys clanging together on the key ring latched at Officer Sonsky's belt. He glanced over to see Sonsky pacing nearby, staring at Sky and tapping his watch. Sky sighed again.

"Sucks to be you," the new arrival at Sky's table spoke.

Sky heard him but his eyes were still on Sonsky, as he processed the voice he had just heard. It couldn't be who he thought it was.

"What did you say?" Sky muttered, as he turned to see a very familiar face.

The prisoner, who had been sitting with his head down, slowly looked up into Sky's eyes, revealing his identity.

"I said, it sucks to be you," he said, with a grin.

Sky fell backwards onto the floor from the shock, toppling his tray, as he saw Dru Harrington, his former friend and confined criminal.

"Dru! It can't be!" Sky yelled. "You're supposed to be confined!"

Dru simply smiled in his seat, as a group of prisoners and Officer Sonsky rushed over to Sky, noticing his strange behavior. Sky watched intently as Dru stood up and ducked into the crowd of gathering prisoners. Sonsky pulled Sky off the floor, as Cash made his way through the crowd to Sky's side.

"Tate, what the hell is wrong with you?" Sonsky yelled.

"Sky, what is it?" Cash asked, seeing the shock on Sky's face.

"That prisoner...Dru Harrington. He's not supposed to be here," Sky said.

Cash glanced over to where Sky was looking, but he didn't see Dru.

"Sure," Sonsky said quickly. "That's what they all say! You know, if it wasn't your job to clean this up anyway, I might be upset."

He unhanded Sky and glanced back at the prisoners.

"All right, gentlemen. Party's over! Let's move on out and give Tate some room to clean!"

Murmurs of disappointment fell over the prisoners, who weren't ready for their meal, or the show to be cut short. Cash remained at Sky's side, trying to settle him down. Up above them all, Morgana watched intently at Warden Gaines' side.

"If your guy can get Tate that freaked, I may be underestimating you," Gaines said.

"Oh, you haven't seen half of my guys," Morgana said, with a smile.

Gaines frowned a bit, seeing her glee. He wasn't sure what she had in mind to eliminate Sky Tate, but he was starting to think it was going to get nasty.

* * *

Back in Newtech City, B-Squad's patrol was halfway done for the day. As they rode along in the patrol jeep, Duc Sato sat in the passenger's seat, staring at the profile he downloaded on Prax. He still wondered what to make of the green insectoid alien on the paper. With Boom driving, Casey sat in back, behind him, while Meg was seated behind Duc. She placed a hand around the front seat, rubbing Duc's shoulder. 

"Don't worry," she said. "We'll find him."

"It's going to take a while though," Boom said. "Especially if you want to keep things quiet and not tell Kat."

"Would you just drop the Kat stuff," Meg said, annoyed. "We get it. But it's Duc decision and he's made it."

"I know that," Boom said, glancing back at Meg. "But, really it might help. If Kat authorized the search for this Prax guy then we would be able to use more resources to find him."

"What resources?" Casey said, behind Boom. "Have you seen what we're working with now?"

"I just want to take things slow right now, anyway," Duc spoke up. "I mean I don't even know if Prax had something to do with my parents' deaths. What if he really does just have information on the real killer?"

"Then why is he being so cryptic?" Casey asked. "He could just come forward and tell us what he knows."

"And we can't forget Rubexa," Meg added. "The fact that she showed up to fight and he disappeared means he might be hiding something."

"The key word is 'might,' though, Meg," Duc said, glancing back at her. "What if he's a reformed criminal who heard something in passing but he's scared we'll try to arrest him again."

"That could explain why he's been acting strange," Casey said.

"If that's the case, then we may have scared him off," Boom said, glancing over at Duc.

Boom had taken his eyes off the road for only a second to look over at his teammate, causing him not to see the figure who came running into the street from a nearby alleyway.

"Boom, look out!" Meg shouted, pointing.

Boom's foot jammed on the brakes quickly. He wasn't quick enough, however, to miss grazing Piggy, who crashed to the ground in front of the jeep. The four B-Squad cadets hopped out and ran over to him.

"Piggy!" Boom exclaimed as he saw him.

"Are you okay?" Casey asked, as she knelt at his side, checking his vital signs.

Piggy began to stir.

"Mama?" Piggy muttered, as he began to stir.

"God, I hope not," Meg said, looking repulsed.

"I think he's okay," Casey said.

Piggy began to stand up, as he realized what had been happening. He was still on the run and he needed to move. Boom and Duc helped him up.

"Piggy, are you sure you're okay?" Boom asked.

"I'd be better if you had just ran me over completely," Piggy muttered.

"What?" Boom said, confused.

"...Nothing," Piggy said.

"Well, this is perfect," Meg said, with a grin. "Kat's looking for you Piggy, so it's good that we ran into you...although not literally."

"Kat..." Piggy said, looking curious. Then his mind veered to the news that Barrett had bestowed on him. He came to an unsettling conclusion. "Uh oh."

"Come on," Duc said. "We'll give you a ride."

As he & Boom loaded Piggy into the back seat, Meg jumped into the driver's seat. Boom took the passenger seat, eyeing her.

"What?" Meg said. "I don't want to hit anything else, so I'm driving."

Casey jumped in back, buckling Piggy in, continuing to make sure he was all right. Duc sat down next to Piggy, still holding onto the paper in his hand. Piggy, still a bit groggy, glanced down at the page. The jeep took off towards their home.

"Prax?" he said aloud.

Meg hit the brakes, as all eyes fell on Piggy.

"You know him?" Duc asked.

* * *

Inside the Supreme Commander's official shuttle, Officer Aaron Hawk found himself on his knees, gently maneuvering several sensors, hoping to hear a sequence of beeps that sounded just right. Without a co-pilot, he didn't have anyone sitting in the seat watching the instrument panel, but Hawk didn't need it. 

After all, he wasn't trained to spend all of his time as a chauffeur for the Supreme Commander. It was a necessary job at the moment, but Hawk hoped that his work might impress the Supreme Commander enough to get him a better post, making a real difference.

"No music?"

Hawk bumped his head, as he jerked quickly to see where the voice had come from. As he turned, he saw that it was Sam Hastings, standing behind him.

"Ouch," Hawk said, with a groan.

"Sorry," Sam said. "I didn't want to disturb you so I let myself in. Surprised you don't have any of your music on."

Hawk continued to rub his head, as he glanced at Sam.

"I needed the silence to hear my work," Hawk said. "How did you get in here without me knowing anyway?"

Sam smirked, as he waved his hand over himself, causing his body to disappear and then reappear, sitting in the pilot's seat beside Hawk.

"Cool," Hawk said. "So, what can I do for you, kid?"

"I just came to see if you needed any help," Sam said. "Mrs. Cruger's in labor, so everyone else is kinda busy."

"So you got bored and decided to come seek entertainment from ol' Hawk. I'm flattered," Hawk said, with a smirk, as he turned back to his work. "Sorry to break it to you though, kid, but there's nothing exciting going on out here either. Honestly, I'd much rather be in the bunker helpin' out. I remember when I helped deliver Madeline."

"Madeline?" Sam asked curiously, "Is that your daughter?"

"Heck no," Hawk said, taking a moment to stare at Sam. "I ain't _that_ old! Madeline was one of my daddy's prized steers back on the farm."

"Farm life, huh," Sam said. "Sounds...interesting. So, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to find the sweet spot," Hawk said, as he went back to the sensors. "I'm tweakin' the comm. sensors to try to pick up a satellite signal. Hopin' we can bounce our systems off one and get some clear communications."

"So, how do you know when you've found a good signal?"

"I can hear it," Hawk said, tapping his ear. "I'm good and once I find the right signal frequency, the Supreme Commander will know. So, that six digit frequency is the sweet spot."

"Trying to impress the boss?"

"Look kid," Hawk said. "I don't expect you to get where I'm coming from but makin' a good impression on the boss is always a good thing, especially when you're shut out of all the action."

"Trust me," Sam said, "I know what it's like to want to impress people, to make yourself seem useful, so they don't treat you like you can't handle bigger problems."

Hawk glanced at Sam as he was talking. Although Sam was at least ten years younger than he was, Hawk had a feeling the kid was telling the truth.

Back inside the bunker, Isinia was deep into labor. At her side, Doggie tried to steady her, as he held tight to her hand, helping her remember to breath, through the intense pain. He glanced near her feet, where Dr. Sevarus was masked and working. The entire room had been sterilized and Cruger was happy to know it. He didn't want to take any chances with his wife's health, or the lives that she was about to deliver.

As Isinia let out a piercing scream, Cruger closed his eyes a bit, in the wake of the pain of her squeezing his hand. It was at that moment, that he was taken back again to the battle on Sirius that tore his family apart in the first place. He was overrun by Krybots and could barely move, or fight back due to their onslaught.

Through it all, he heard her scream. He wanted so much to go after Isinia, to make sure she was all right and that Gruumm's forces had not gotten their paws on her. But he couldn't do it. Benaag taunted him and Cruger wanted to make him pay. Even as his visions of the battle faded to black, he could still hear Benaag's victorious laughter and the haunting screams of his bride.

"Anubis," Isinia called out, pulling his hand, knocking him from his memory.

"Yes," Cruger said, glancing at her.

He noticed she looked a little worried and weary.

"Are they all right?" Isinia asked.

Cruger glanced over at Sevarus, who was cleaning the pups up. It was all over, he thought. He patted Isinia's hand and then walked over to Sevarus.

"How are they?" Cruger asked.

"They are both perfectly healthy," Sevarus said, as he completed his scans of their vitals. "Meet your son and your daughter."

Cruger glanced down at the pups, tiny versions of himself and his wife. They were so small that it looked like they could fit into the palm of his hand. Cruger took a deep breath, realizing that his life had just changed dramatically.

"Anubis," Isinia called out. "How do they look?"

Cruger glanced over at his wife.

"Perfect."

* * *

Syd took a deep breath as she sat at her desk, wearing a white blouse. She had straightened her hair the day before and hadn't curled it back to its normal state since. She glanced behind her, making sure that the backdrop she had chosen looked right. Then, she activated the terminal and keyed in the frequency number that Bridge had given her for the Myers Detention Facility on Fenix Prime. 

She perfected her posture, as the call went through. Soon after, she was greeted with the face of an older man. He was extremely thin, with graying hair and wore glasses. He reminded Syd a bit of her grandfather.

"You've reached the Myers Detention Facility," the man said. "How may I help you?"

"Hello, I'm calling to speak with one of your prisoners, Sky—Schuyler Tate."

"Who shall I announce is calling?" he asked.

"Sydney Drew."

"Hold please," the pale man said, flatly.

The screen went blank for a few seconds and Syd began to feel nervous. She prepared herself to see Sky's face when the feed came back. But, she was disappointed as she saw the face of the prison's communications operator again.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but Schuyler Tate is not allowed to take calls at the moment. His allotted time has run out for the week," the man said.

Syd was surprised to hear that. As a look of confusion settled on her face, she glanced back at the man.

"Thank you," she said, as he signed off.

That didn't make sense, Syd thought. If Sky hadn't received any calls, he should have had the time to speak with her, unless Bridge was wrong. She shrugged, hoping that was true. As she stood up and began to take down the backdrop, she had another idea. She sat back down and reached into the desk drawer, pulling out a folded page of paper from a phone book. She keyed in the numbers and sent out her signal.

Syd refocused, trying to get her mind off Sky and back on her mission. When the image of Mrs. Bradshaw appeared in front of her, Syd smiled.

"Mrs. Bradshaw, this is Syren Dean. I'm not sure you remember me but—"

"I remember you, Ms. Dean," Mrs. Bradshaw said, quickly. "What can I do for you?"

"I was hoping I could speak with Anna," Syd said.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Dean, but we don't allow that here," Mrs. Bradshaw said. "You're not family."

"This is a tough time for her. If I could just speak with her or visit maybe I could help her—"

"I don't think so," Mrs. Bradshaw said, cutting Syd off again. "Anna is preparing herself for a new life. I've located a very stable couple who wants to start a family. This is what Anna desperately needs. Her mother already ruined her childhood and I won't let anyone ruin her future. I'm sorry."

Mrs. Bradshaw cut the communication quickly, upsetting Syd. She stood up and ripped down the backdrop in frustration. How was she going to find out if Mia contacted Anna if she couldn't contact Anna herself?

* * *

Inside the auxiliary S.P.D. station on Earth, Bridge, Quinn and Sophie sat at the large round table in the middle of the situation room, which was directly across the hall from Command Central. The three had been pouring over the coded message that Quinn had managed to unlock. Seated on the floor, Murphy appeared to be interested in the matter as well, even though he was simply a robotic canine. 

"My mom found some clues to the message's text in an old galactic language book," Quinn said. "Even with the origin she found, it doesn't appear to be a direct translation."

"This message seems to be getting more complicated all the time," Sophie said, across the table from Quinn.

Seated next to Sophie, Bridge smirked.

"Yeah," he said. "I just hope we haven't spent all this time and effort to unlock a casserole recipe or something."

"So did she get anything from the message?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah," Quinn said. "She managed to figure out the format of it. It appears that it was only about five full sentences. There appears to be a few instances of the personal pronoun 'I' which means our traitor probably made it a pretty informal message."

"That's good," Bridge said. "If he, or she, was writing to a friend then we may have more clues to their identity."

"What about the language itself?" Sophie asked. "What did she use to figure all of that out?"

"My mom says the closest match she could find, so far, was the language used by a race called the Vinali," Quinn revealed. "They died out centuries ago. Their home planet was a few star systems away from Earth. They never developed space-faring technology but once other planets did, they visited Vinali and began to colonize it."

"So, the Vinali were kinda like the Indians here on Earth, when the British arrived?" Bridge wondered.

"Sorta," Quinn said. "But, according to the research, the Vinali pretty much died out as a full race because they began to blend in with other cultures and the races became so mixed that all the purely Vinali people no longer existed."

"So there's no one on Earth or in S.P.D. that would identify as Vinali?" Sophie surmised.

"Right. My mom thinks that one of the colonizing civilizations must have incorporated the Vinali language into their own, which would explain why there's no direct translation yet," Quinn said. "There's still some work to be done if want to find the whole message. My mom could use some help, so I'm thinking of heading over to Tokyo to visit with her. Maybe I can help."

"That's a good idea," Bridge said. "Maybe we should all go. Four heads are better than two."

"I agree," Sophie said.

At that moment Murphy let out a robotic bark, causing all three of them to look over at him.

"Okay, five heads," Bridge said, with a smirk.

* * *

Inside his cell in the Myers Detention Center, Cash Donovan sat on the top bunk, swinging his feet, impatiently. Finally, he heard movement in the hall outside the cells. He hopped off the bunk, as he saw Sky Tate arriving, followed closely by Sonsky, who unlocked the cell only long enough to gently push Sky inside. 

"Get some sleep, Tate," Sonsky said. "You clearly need it."

After Sonsky was gone, Cash noticed that Sky still looked unsettled. He had figured that Sky would have calmed down after spending the last few hours cleaning the cafeteria. But, it was clear to Cash now that something truly had Sky rattled.

"What's going on?" he asked Sky.

"I'm going insane," Sky said, as he began pacing around the cell. "Dru...Mirloc...this can't be happening!"

"Dru? Mirloc?" Cash said, confused. "Who are these people?"

"Trouble!" Sky said, as he looked over at Cash. "That guy who sat across from me in the cafeteria was Dru...Harrington. He was my friend back in the Academy, until I found out he was really an alien criminal in disguise. I contained him! He shouldn't be here!"

"He didn't look alien to me," Cash said. "He looked as human as the rest of us."

"I don't know," Sky said, remembering that Dru's facial markings were missing in the cafeteria. "He must have had his appearance altered so he would look human."

"Sounds like he went to a lot of trouble to get in here," Cash said. "What about Mirloc? I didn't see anyone else."

"I'm not sure I did either," Sky said. "Mirloc killed my father. I contained him two years ago. He has the ability to move through reflective surfaces, but we sent him to a prison where there were none. I'm certain I saw him today and I heard his voice as clear as I hear yours."

"You're sure about all this?" Cash asked, not completely believing Sky could be seeing these old foes.

"If I'm not sure, then I really am going crazy," Sky said. "But if I'm right and somehow they're both here, then I'm in big trouble."

On the roof of the Myers Detention Center, Morgana stood in the red atmosphere, amongst her band of evil henchmen. She smiled widely, as she took in a deep breath, unaffected by the atmosphere, much like her friends.

"Everything is going according to plan," she said. "Slate, you really had Sky fooled!"

The black alien being known as Slate transformed himself into Mirloc, imitating his appearance and voice perfectly.

"Poor Sky," Slate said, as he changed back into his true form.

"I thought my encounter also went well," Dru said, standing at Slate's side. "I can't wait to give Sky a true reunion."

Dru transformed into his true form of Giganus.

"It'll be sweet," Morgana said.

"And don't forget us!" Sinuku called out from nearby.

Morgana turned to see Sinuku and Wootox waiting in the wings.

"Yeah," Wootox chimed in. "When are we gonna get in on the action?"

"All in due time, gentlemen," Morgana assured them. "I guarantee that before this is finished, you'll all get a shot at Sky Tate!"

Morgana laughed victoriously, joined in her celebration by four of the most dangerous criminals S.P.D. had ever captured.

* * *

At the auxiliary S.P.D. station on Earth, Piggy sat at a table in the small interrogation room, the only one inside the small compound. He glanced around the empty room nervously when the doors slid open and Kat Manx walked in, giving him a serious look. 

"Kat, long time no see," Piggy said.

"Shut up, Piggy," Kat said. The Pryce situation still had her furious. "I don't have time to deal with your crap. Where have you been?"

"Oh, around," Piggy said, nervously. "Here and there."

"Why did you leave us?" Kat asked.

"Well," Piggy said, pointing around the room. "Obviously, you needed the space."

"Are you really going to try to talk circles around me, Piggy?" Kat said. "Because you'll lose."

Piggy frowned, as he saw the anger in Kat's eyes. Then, she smiled unexpectedly.

"You know, Piggy, it's okay. You don't feel like talking to me. That's fine. I understand how a Commander might be a little intimidating," Kat said. "So, I'll leave you alone."

"Really?" Piggy said.

"Sure," Kat said. "After all, I still owe you for helping me out last year. Remember when you clobbered Jintari after my powers ran out? I won't forget that."

Piggy ran his fingers along his jacket with pride.

"But..." Kat said. "There's someone else here who feels a bit differently. So, I think I'll leave you two here to talk, instead."

Kat stepped up to the doors and they slid open. As she stepped into the corridor, Z Delgado stepped up to the doorway, causing Piggy to gasp. Kat walked off after a nod to Z, who entered, allowing the doors to close behind her.

"Hello there, Piggy," Z said.

"Z-Z, I don't...I don't—"

"What? You don't understand how I'm alive?" Z said, angrily.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean—"

"You didn't mean to kill me, Piggy? Is that what you're gonna say?" Z said. "Don't even! I'm tired of listening to your excuses. I've finally figured you out, Piggy. The only thing you care about in this entire world is yourself."

"You don't understand," Piggy said, sadly.

"I don't want to understand, Piggy," Z said. "Not anymore."

"But, I can...I can help you—help S.P.D.!" Piggy said. "This is about Barrett Van Tigue!"

"We don't need your help, Piggy," Z said. "All we need is your cooperation. That's all. You answer questions and then you get out of our lives. That's what's gonna happen and personally, I can't wait until it's over, because then I'll never have to see you again."

* * *

On Sirius, Sam found himself sitting once again on the chair outside of Isinia's room. There was silence all around him, which surprised him. He hadn't been sitting there longer than a minute when the door slid open and Sam looked over to see Doggie Cruger standing in the doorway. 

"They're both fine," Cruger told him.

"Congratulations," Sam said, as he stood up.

"Would you like to see them?" Cruger asked.

"If it's all right with Mrs. Cruger."

"Come on," Doggie said.

As Sam entered, he saw Isinia lying in her bed, holding both of the pups in white blankets. Sam walked over to her, on the left side of the bed, as Cruger walked on the right. Sam glanced inside the blankets and saw the large Sirian snouts and tiny fingers of two healthy Sirians.

"Wow," he said. "They really look like you guys."

Cruger stared into the eyes of the two pups, which were both wide awake. He knew at that moment that his family had been realized. Everything he had lost on that planet so many years before was his again. As the twin pups were being admired, Dr. Sevarus slipped out of the room into the corridor, taking a deep breath.

He wasn't sure what President Cali was going to think about the current situation and he wasn't sure how long he could convince the Crugers to stay on Sirius. He just hoped that President Cali's plan to keep them there was powerful enough to handle the task, without his help.

Inside the Supreme Commander's shuttle, Hawk was still at the controls, tweaking the sensors when he heard the sound he had been waiting for. Hawk glanced at the sensor panel, as a six-digit comm. frequency appeared.

"Sweet spot," Hawk said, with a grin.

Then he frowned, as he looked around the shuttle, realizing he had nothing to write the numbers on. He grabbed a pen from his pocket and wrote the six numbers on the palm of his hand. He stood up, releasing the sensor cable in his hand. The panel went black, as he suspected it would.

"Great," Hawk said, happily. "Now, all we do is key in the frequency and we can call all the way to the other side of the galaxy."

Hawk exited the shuttle as twilight approached, knowing the Supreme Commander would want to hear the news. He headed towards the bunker, when he heard a slight roar in the atmosphere above. He glanced up and saw a spacecraft landing in the distance. Curiously, Hawk walked towards the craft, just as the doors slid open and he was met with laser fire that sent him flying backwards.

As Hawk landed with a thud on the hard ground, he glanced up at the shuttle, unable to see through the smoke of the laser blasts. He coughed a bit, as he held his stomach, which had taken a bit of the blast. His eyes grew wider as he saw the figure appear through the smoke. The alien creature had uneven eyes, which glowed in the darkness. Hawk was able to make out the figure's green skin and what appeared to be red tentacles coming from the side of its head.

The creature walked slowly past Hawk on the ground. Hawk made his way to his feet, behind the alien.

"Where do ya think you're goin'?" Hawk grunted.

"To take care of business."

"I don't think so," Hawk said.

The new arrival turned quickly, aiming at Hawk again. He sent lasers shooting towards Hawk. But this time, Hawk flipped away. He pulled the laser pistol from his side and aimed at the creature, firing.

The alien was caught off-guard by the S.P.D. officer and went crashing to the ground. Hawk walked closer to him, with his weapon still drawn.

"Like I said, where do ya think you're goin'?"

As Hawk looked closer, he no longer saw the being's eyes glowing. He wondered if he had been knocked unconscious. Hawk looked closer, just as the alien's left hand, which was comprised of a scissor-shaped claw, grabbed Hawk's wrist, crushing it and the laser pistol in his hand.

Hawk yelled out in pain, as he was pulled to the ground by the creature. He tried to crawl away from the creature. As he saw the bunker in the distance, he felt the searing pain of the alien stabbing his claw into his back, piercing his vertebrae.

As he passed Officer Hawk's body, the alien creature looked forward to the bunker. He began to chuckle, as he realized that the information that President Cali had given him was correct. The bunker was there, just as he had described and that meant that Doggie Cruger was probably inside. The alien laughed louder, more maniacally, as he imagined finally getting his hands on Doggie Cruger.

This time however, it would be the final battle. So, he hoped that Doggie Cruger had brought his Shadow Saber, because he would need it and a whole lot more to defeat Benaag.

* * *

Deep in the heart of Eastern Newtech City, a black car rolled up to the abandoned factory owned by Barrett Van Tigue. Dr. Lee Jiang emerged from the vehicle and stepped inside of the darkened factory. 

"Dr. Jiang, welcome."

Jiang turned to see Barrett Van Tigue emerge from the shadows. He extended his hand and Jiang shook it.

"I'm not sure that this is the proper place for the continuation of our work," Jiang said to Van Tigue, nervously.

"Oh, don't worry," Barrett said. "It's perfect. We just need to shed some light on the situation. Prax!"

Hearing Barrett call out to him, Prax flipped the power on. The entire factory lit up and Dr. Jiang saw the conveyor belts start up. Parts were moving, machines were activated and within moments, Barrett and Jiang were watching a familiar sight coming together, just as Jiang's printed plans had depicted.

Once it was completed, Barrett walked over and patted the Delta X robot on the shoulder. He turned back to Jiang and smiled.

"I love it when a plan comes together," Barrett said.

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Answers"**  
_Sky finds himself in serious trouble with no way to morph.  
Bridge, Sophie & Quinn head to Tokyo for clues on the message.  
Syd & Z must get to Anna, before her new adoptive family  
can take custody. Barrett decides to put pressure on SPD, leading  
Prax to a face-off with B-Squad. Cruger's nightmares become  
a reality on Sirius, where he finds Benaag. Representative  
Doherty tries to rally help for Earth amongst the Council._


	15. Answers

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"ANSWERS"**

For the first time since his imprisonment at Myers Detention Facility, Sky Tate was happy to shower alongside a dozen other men. After his encounter with former friend Dru Harrington, and the haunting by Mirloc, he wasn't in the mood to be alone. Minutes into his shower, Sky closed his eyes tight, dipping his head under the metal showerhead, allowing the steaming water to wash over his body. He hoped it would relax his brain and cause the memories of his father's killer to leave him.

"Three minutes left, boys!"

The sound of Officer Sonsky's shouting voice from just outside the shower room, caused a bit of a ruckus, as several of the prisoners began making their way out. Sky, with his eyes still closed, could hear a few of the showers being turned off. He continued his relaxing routine. He had become efficient in using his time wisely.

"You coming?" Cash Donovan spoke from next to Sky.

"Go ahead," Sky said, without even looking at his cellmate.

"All right," Cash said, as he grabbed a towel and headed through the doorway to dry off and get dressed.

As Sky steadied his mind and his spirit, he heard a few of the other showers still going. He ran his fingers through his head, mentally counting down how much time he had left before he incurred the wrath of Officer Sonsky again. He had never noticed the twinge of enjoyment that could be gleamed from annoying an officer before. Part of him liked it. Sonsky was the least of his worries.

Sky began to hear murmurs of laughter, dark and sinister. He paused in his place, as his head slowly rose. As Sky opened his eyes, they stared directly into the metal showerhead. Through the reflection, he saw his former enemy standing behind him. It couldn't be. Sky whipped around quickly.

"Mirloc!" he yelled, as he turned around.

But there was no one there. Sky, however, still heard the laughter in the room, getting louder.

"Guard!" Sky yelled for Sonsky, but again, no one was there.

Sky grabbed his towel and headed for the door, when he heard the ominous voice from behind him.

"Going so soon, Tate!" Mirloc yelled.

Sky turned around and that was when he saw Mirloc standing before him, as the hot water flowed down upon him. The steam in the room barely masked his flesh and blood appearance. Sky's eyes grew wide. He turned to rush out, knowing he couldn't fight him there. As he turned, he bumped into someone else.

"Mirloc!" Sky yelled. "It's Mirloc. He's here!"

Sky thought he had run into Officer Sonsky, but as he got his bearings, he saw the person in front of him was not wearing a shirt. In fact, like Sky, he was only wearing a white towel and seemed to be laughing deviously.

Sky looked up into his smiling face.

"Dru!" Sky said, through gritted teeth.

Sky turned away from Dru, headed for the exit, as his old friend continued to laugh incessantly at Sky's fear.

"Stop it!" Sky yelled. "Stop laughing!"

Sky shut his eyes, building up every last once of strength he could. He lunged forward, tackling Dru to the floor, beating on him. As Sky tried to punch Dru's face, the escaped criminal had his hands up, shielding his face, as he continued to laugh, angering Sky further.

At that moment, Officer Sonsky appeared, pulling Sky off of Harrington.

"Hey!" Sonsky said, as he restrained Sky. "Calm down, Tate!"

As Sonsky's eyes were on him, Sky saw Dru still smiling out of the corner of his eye.

* * *

On the planet Sirius, it was a joyous moment for the Cruger family. As Isinia laid in her bed holding her son for the first time, she smiled, still digesting the fact that she was finally a mother, after decades of turmoil in her life. At her left, Cruger sat, holding his daughter. He was proud that she resembled her mother. Even as a newborn, she had the dark tendrils of hair covering parts of her face, unlike her twin brother, whose hair resembled his father and grew naturally towards the back of his head.

Standing at the foot of the bed, Sam Hastings smiled, as he saw the family in front of him. The bonds between parent and child had been instant, he could tell. Memories of his own parents were quickly fading from his mind, but seeing the Cruger family helped him feel warmer in his heart.

"Congratulations, again," Sam said with a smirk.

"Thank you, Sam," Isinia said. "We're glad you're here."

"Really?" Sam said, looking curious.

"You're our connection to home," Isinia said.

"Yes," Doggie agreed. "It's wonderful to share our new family with our old family, even if it's only a part of that family. That goes for you too, Shivan. Thank you for everything."

Sam nodded, happily. Near the doorway, Dr. Sevarus had been observing the entire time. He too nodded.

"It was my pleasure, old friend," the Divalian doctor said.

Deep down, Sevarus knew that Cruger's mention of family meant that he was still longing for home and that meant Earth. Sevarus knew that President Cali wanted Cruger out of the way until his plans for Space Patrol Delta's future could be fully realized. Sevarus didn't know what that meant, but he was sure that Cali wasn't going to like hearing that Cruger was looking forward to returning with his family.

Sevarus kept his negativity to himself, allowing the happy occasion to continue. The positive energy within that room, however, was short-lived. The sound of a massive explosion could be heard coming from outside the bunker.

"What was that?" Isinia said, loudly, as the pups began to cry.

"It sounded like a bomb," Sam said.

Cruger was instantly on his feet, handing his daughter back to Isinia. He walked out into the hallway, followed closely by Sevarus and Sam.

"Where are you going?" Sevarus asked.

"To find out what that was," Cruger said. "Stay here."

Cruger exited the bunker, before Sam could object. Once the Supreme Commander had departed, Sevarus returned to Isinia's room, trying to help her calm the pups. Sam kept his eyes on the bunker exit for a moment, before walking into his room and reaching into his backpack. He removed the Omega morpher and placed it in his back pocket. He took a deep breath, wondering if his time was soon coming.

* * *

On Earth, the factory owned by Barrett Van Tigue was fully operational. As he sat in a makeshift office, getting reacquainted with the Delta X Series blueprints, he heard a knock at the closed door. Barrett looked up.

"Come in, Prax," he called out.

The green insectoid strolled in, walking right over to Barrett's desk.

"Eight of the robots have been completed," Prax said. "Continuing production through the night was a good idea. The final twelve should be completed soon."

"Good," Barrett said, standing up.

He walked over to the window of the office, which looked out on the assembly line, where the Delta X robots were being produced.

"I think twenty should do the trick," Barrett said, as if he were having a conversation with himself. "I mean, if we need more, I can always restart the process later."

"I still don't understand how you intend to move the plan forward," Prax said, his voice unsure. "Dr. Jiang told us that S.P.D. is unwilling to employ the robots."

"Well that's an easy obstacle to overcome, Prax," Barrett said with a smile. "We just have to make them willing."

Barrett turned back to the window, watching the Delta X robots coming together. Then, he saw another ally enter the main assembly area. Barrett saw Blaze staring at the Delta X robots.

"We just have to convince S.P.D. Earth that they can't survive without the help," Barrett said, talking to Prax, but still staring out the office window. "Then, they'll have no choice but to walk straight into my trap."

"Convincing them won't be easy," Prax said.

"Sure it will," Barrett said, with a smile, as his eyes fell on Blaze. "You're newfound connection to B-Squad will be the key to putting pressure on them. The fear of failure is always a strong motivator."

Barrett turned to face Prax, grinning widely.

"It's time to cash in on the past," Barrett said.

* * *

As Sydney Drew heard the door to her apartment closing, she rushed out of her bedroom, worried, until she saw the face of Z Delgado. Z noticed her look.

"Sorry," Z said. "I probably should have knocked. Should I give back my key?"

"It's okay," Syd said, relieved. "I'm just a little on edge. I'd rather you keep the key. I don't want Barrett or Vishus to spot you standing in the hallway knocking, especially now that they know you're alive."

Z nodded, as she laid down the folder she had carried in, concealed under her black leather jacket. She and Syd sat down on the couch, behind the coffee table, where Z opened the folder, revealing several documents.

"I found everything you asked for," Z said. "I've got blueprints of the building, all the records I could on Anna and the facility. Looks like they've got a pretty good security setup...but not impenetrable."

Syd looked back at Z with a smirk.

"What makes you think I need to know that?" Syd asked, coyly.

"Just a hunch," Z said. "Come on, Syd. What are you planning?"

"Mrs. Bradshaw won't let me talk to Anna officially, so I'm going to pay Anna a visit...unofficially," Syd explained.

"You still aren't sure that Anna knows anything about Mia's death or what she found in Barrett's house," Z said.

"She knows something," Syd said, convinced. "I'm sure of it. It's the only answer."

"But if she knew something why wouldn't she tell Mrs. Bradshaw or the police?" Z wondered.

"Maybe Anna doesn't realize exactly what she knows," Syd said. "I've been thinking. Mia obviously was running out of time. She threw her cell phone out that window on purpose because she wanted to protect whoever she talked to."

"That's probably true," Z reasoned. "Actually, she may not have even talked to anyone."

"What do you mean?" Syd asked.

"What if Mia never said anything to the person she called? What if she sent a text message or an email or a picture?" Z said, as she began to form a hypothesis of her own. "That could explain why Anna hasn't said anything. She may not have seen what Mia sent her or she doesn't know what she has."

Syd smiled.

"Now you're sounding like me," Syd said, with a sigh. "So, are you in? I could really use some help."

"We're in this together to the end," Z said, with a smile. "Besides, breaking into a social services facility sounds like old-fashioned fun. Although, I was usually breaking out of them as a kid."

* * *

Back on Sirius, Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger spotted the fiery wreckage in the distance. He let out a growl, as he saw it was his official shuttle that had exploded. He began jogging towards the burning vehicle, worried that his pilot was still inside. He wondered what Hawk could have triggered that would cause this result.

As Cruger got closer, he realized that the explosion couldn't have been Hawk's fault. He saw the fallen S.P.D. Officer laying several yards away from the blazing wreckage. Cruger rushed over to him, expecting to see burn marks and a smoke stained face. But, as he walked up to Hawk, he didn't see any sign that he had been inside the shuttle when it exploded.

Hawk's uniform didn't have fire damage. But, as the officer lay on his stomach, Cruger saw that he was still hurt. The gaping wound on Hawk's back caught Cruger's attention as he dropped to his knees, rolling Hawk gently over on his back. Cruger wasn't a doctor but he was sure Hawk's back had to be broken.

Cruger glanced back at the shuttle on fire. As his eyes seemed to glaze over at the sight, his mind reverted back to the day that Sirius fell to Troobian forces. The haunting memory had taken over him once again. There were fires everywhere. Smoke and ash filled his own lungs, as he fought back against the invasion, passing many of his fallen comrades along the way.

Benaag's haunting cackle of victory still echoed in Cruger's brain. Cruger was knocked from his flashback as he felt something graze his bent knee.

Cruger looked down to see that it was Hawk's arm twitching a bit. Cruger placed two fingers at Hawk's neck and felt a faint pulse. He was alive.

"Hold on, Hawk," Cruger called out.

Cruger scooped the officer up into his strong arms and began their journey back to the bunker. Cruger was certain that moving Hawk was probably doing more damage than good, but he couldn't wait for Sevarus to get all the way out there. He trusted in Sevarus' expertise and knew that if anyone could save Hawk, Shivan could, but he would need all of the equipment in the bunker to do it.

As Cruger got closer, he heard Benaag's ominous laughter once again in his head. But this time, Cruger realized that he hadn't been thinking about the fall of Sirius. He stopped in his tracks and turned back towards the shuttle on fire. Cruger squinted his eyes, thinking of Hawk's injury. Something had attacked him, Cruger thought.

_But, it couldn't be Benaag, could it?_

* * *

On Andruss III, Representative Alaina Doherty took another sip of her triune tea. She had become fond of the Triforian blend since her fellow representative, Trecineas, introduced it to her years ago. The tea was specially made by the Triforians to aid in concentration by calming the brain with its herbal properties. It had always helped her through stressing times. This was her third cup of the day.

As she stepped off the elevator inside the Galactic Council Center, she spotted her target. She wasn't expecting to run into him so easily, but she was grateful for any pleasant surprises she could get. Doherty walked right over to another fellow Council Representative.

"Urgundii," Alaina called out. "I'm glad I ran into you. Please, tell me you've reconsidered coming."

"I don't know about this, Alaina," Urgundii said, nervously, as they walked together through the hallway.

The Fernovian's skin looked a pale green. It was a sign of stress. Alaina wanted to offer him a sip of her tea, but knew she needed as much help as she could get. Her plans to rally the council on S.P.D. Earth's behalf were finally coming together. Although, getting them all in one place without the Galactic Council President's knowledge was difficult, she had managed to convince them all to meet, except for Urgundii.

Urgundii stopped in the hallway, as they approached a large cafeteria, which was sparsely populated. Urgundii had been heading there for his breakfast.

"Meeting without President Cali seems...wrong," Urgundii said. "Haven't we dealt with enough controversy in the last few months?"

"Urgundii, this isn't some clandestine plot," Alaina said, trying to sound calm, but keeping her voice low. "I want to discuss the situation on Earth and get thoughts from everyone. We already know what Otto thinks."

"We've all made our positions clear," Urgundii said. "I don't see the point."

"The point is, we're a council. We're supposed to work together and keep our lines of communication open," Alaina explained. "That's what I want to do. I have some things to say to the other Council members and I'd like to say them informally."

She didn't want to say in public that she had lost faith in their President, but deep down that was exactly the case.

"Leaving Cali out of any decisions is a bad move," Urgundii said. "It's the first step to chaos on the Council."

"My goal isn't chaos, my friend," Alaina said.

Always the ambassador, she made sure to remind Urgundii of their friendship.

"My goal is to restore order," she said. "That's all. Won't you hear me out?"

After a few tense seconds, Urgundii took a deep breath.

"All right," Urgundii said. "But, I still think this is bordering on deception and I don't like it."

"I hope I can change your mind," Alaina said. "I'll call your office with the meeting details."

Urgundii nodded. Alaina continued on her way, headed for her office, continuing to sip her tea. As Urgundii turned to enter the cafeteria, he almost bumped into Tawke, the slender young alien assistant of President Otto Cali.

"Excuse me, Tawke," Urgundii said, as he continued inside.

As Tawke walked further into the hallway, she peeked down the corridor watching Representative Doherty turn a corner. Tawke's eyes looked curious. She had heard most of the conversation between the two and it had left her troubled. Her green skin turned a darker shade, as it often did amongst her race when their mood changed.

* * *

Piggy exited the interrogation room inside S.P.D.'s small auxiliary station on Earth. He held tight to his heart, glad to be alive after being further grilled by Commander Manx. Piggy was shocked. Kat had always seemed so calm and reserved, even jovial at times. But that meeting had almost caused him a heart attack.

As he headed for the nearest exit, he was glad that he still had a heart. It was difficult for him to justify it after his actions the past few months, but Piggy knew he was left with no choice.

Then again, that was always his excuse, wasn't it?

Piggy turned a corner and let out a curse, as he saw the four cadets approaching his direction. He had wanted to slip away undetected by anyone else in Space Patrol Delta, but he had no such luck. He almost laughed, as one of the approaching B-Squad members looked to be quite angry.

"Wait until I get my hands on you!" Boom yelled, as his teammates Meg Thurman and Duc Sato attempted to hold him back. "We know what you did to Z...or what you tried to do to Z!"

"Slow down there, Boom. You're turning blue...and not the way you're supposed to," Piggy said, firmly, as he realized that B-Squad had been told the truth about the falsely fallen Yellow Ranger.

"Don't sass me, Piggy!" Boom said, angrily.

"Where do you think you're going?" Casey asked Piggy, calmly.

"Outta here," Piggy said, rolling his eyes at Boom, as he passed the group, who kept pace with him. "I answered all of the questions asked. Your cat showed her claws and I caved. Now, I'm gone!"

"Oh, no you're not," Meg said, blocking his path. "We still have some questions for you."

Piggy sighed. "Oh no. What now?"

"Prax," Duc said, standing at Piggy's side. "You know him. How?"

"Where can we find him?" Casey asked at the same time.

"Is he really a criminal?" Boom spoke as well.

"Answer the questions!" Meg yelled.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Piggy said, holding his hands up in protest. "You guys are new at this, aren't you? You can't just throw all these questions at me and expect answers!"

"How about I rip every scale off your grimy body?" Meg said, with a nasty smile, as she sneered at Piggy. "Would that work for you?"

After a moment of staring into her eyes, Piggy smiled and pointed at Meg.

"You're better at this than I thought," Piggy said.

"Then I guess you better start answering," Meg said.

Piggy sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to get far far away from S.P.D. without leaving B-Squad behind. He pointed to each of the Rangers as he answered their questions.

"How do I know Prax? It's a long, complicated story. Let's just say I owe a debt to his boss," Piggy explained. "Is he a criminal? I can't prove that he is or isn't. Where can you find him? I can't say I know. Are we done now?"

"You're not telling us everything," Duc said, knowing Piggy's own criminal background. "You know more."

"Look kid, I have to look out for my own hide and trust me. It's gotten me into enough trouble already. I'm not looking for any more," Piggy said, as he started to walk away, leaving B-Squad behind.

As he reached the exit, he turned back to the group.

"But...if you want to find Prax, you're on the wrong side of town," Piggy said. "He doesn't often leave the east side."

With that Piggy was gone. B-Squad would have been disappointed if Piggy hadn't at least given them a lead. For now, that was all they needed.

* * *

"I swear I can't leave you alone for one minute without you getting into trouble," Cash Donovan said, with a smirk.

Cash watched as Officer Sonsky pushed Sky into their cell. Cash remained standing in the hall, as Sonsky locked the cell after Sky's entrance.

"One more outburst, Tate, and I swear you're going to solitary confinement!" Sonsky said, angrily.

"Get some rest," Cash said. "I'll be back once toilet duty is done."

Sonsky nudged Cash in the back, signaling him to keep moving. Once the two were out of sight, Sky turned his back to the hall and sighed.

"Get some rest," he repeated Cash's words. "I don't even think that's possible anymore."

Exhausted from his outburst, Sky slumped into his bottom bunk and laid his head back, hoping that he really could relax. But as his eyes closed, he was bombarded with memories of his past. He relived the moment that Dru was captured.

_After the Megazord battle, Sky had gone to the rooftop unmorphed, just as Dru returned to his familiar form. Dru laid on the rooftop, hurt from the battle._

"_Old friend…you're under arrest."_

Sky remembered filing Dru's containment card himself. It didn't make sense that he could be free. Sky would never forget the day he captured Mirloc and avenged his father. It was also the first time he had ever morphed into the Red Ranger.

_Calling on the battlizer's cyber mode, Sky stood tall before Mirloc, using all of the battlizer sword's power to take Mirloc down in a barrage of sparks, leaving him carded. _

"_I will escape again!" Mirloc yelled from inside the card._

He was certain that Mirloc was unable to escape the containment facility he had been sent to on Verinox 12, a planet with no sunlight and no possible reflections. Then again, he also thought Dru had been contained for good as well. Clearly, something was going on outside the walls of the Myers Detention Facility and it had Sky now worrying for the safety of his friends on Earth.

Deep in thought, Sky barely heard the clanking sound of the cell door opening and closing. He smirked, as he heard the key locking the cell after Cash's entrance.

"Back so soon?" Sky said, as he heard the footsteps getting closer.

"And here I thought my return was long overdue!"

Sky's eyes popped open to see the slender alien form of Sinuku standing over him. Sky jumped from his bed, as Sinuku's sword came plunging down on the mattress. Sky fell to the hard concrete floor, as Sinuku set his sights on him again, lunging forward. Sky hopped to his feet, ducking Sinuku's swipe. He landed a swift kick to Sinuku's chest, causing him to stagger backwards a bit, but it did little damage, as Sinuku was back on top of him quickly.

This was a horrible time to be without his genetic power, Sky thought, wishing that each punch he tried to take at Sinuku was finished off with a genetic force field. His wish never came true. Sky attempted another kick, but this time Sinuku caught hold of Sky's leg, using it to slam Sky against a wall of the cell. Sinuku grabbed Sky by the throat, pressing him even harder into the concrete.

"Now, isn't this fun?" Sinuku said, face-to-face with Sky.

"Could be better," Sky grunted.

"Oh it will be!" Sinuku yelled, as he tossed Sky into the desk in the corner, breaking the wooden table, as he crashed into it.

Sky was knocked out from the impact, as Morgana appeared in the hallway, still wearing her security uniform. She unlocked the cell door and opened it, gesturing for someone in the shadows to enter. It was Wootox. The criminal stepped inside the cell, as Sinuku stepped aside. Wootox picked up Sky's body from the wooden pile of broken desk pieces. He touched Sky's head to the glowing gold diamond on his forehead, transferring his essence into Sky's body and taking Sky's into his own. Within one second, it was Wootox's body that collapsed, as Sky's body stood tall, grinning evilly.

"It's done," he said, as he looked down on his own alien body.

Morgana giggled happily, as Sinuku picked up Wootox's groggy body, which was now home to Sky Tate. He walked the monster out of the cell. As Morgana closed and locked the cell door, Wootox, now in Sky's body, walked over to her, still grinning.

"Have fun!" Morgana sneered, with a smile of her own before walking off behind Sinuku.

After they were gone from the hallway, Wootox let out a loud maniacal laugh, causing Sky's voice to go echoing through the corridor.

* * *

"What happened to him?" Sam asked, shocked to see Cruger return with Hawk's body in his arms.

Cruger shuffled into Sevarus' room, which also carried most of his medical equipment that wasn't being used in Isinia's area of the bunker. Sevarus and Sam were right behind him.

"I can't be certain," Cruger answered Sam, as he laid Hawk in the doctor's bed and kept moving. "Take care of him," Cruger said to Sevarus as he walked back into the hallway, crossing into his shared room with his wife.

Isinia watched Cruger closely, as he entered, heading for his own bag of belongings he had brought to Sirius. Sam was on Cruger's tail.

"Anubis, what's going on?" Isinia asked.

"I think we have company," Cruger said. "Hawk was attacked and that explosion we heard was our shuttle going up in smoke."

"Oh no," Isinia said. "Is Hawk all right?"

"Shivan's working on him," Cruger said, as he rifled through his bag until he found what he was looking for.

Sam watched as Cruger's hand pulled his patrol morpher from the bag. He watched Cruger walk over to Isinia's bed and kiss her forehead.

"I have to go," Cruger told her.

Isinia closed her eyes somberly and nodded her head. Cruger headed for the doorway, stopping at the double crib that they had brought with them to the planet. Inside were his two offspring, both sound asleep. Cruger almost touched them, but they looked to precious to disturb. He said a silent goodbye and walked through the doorway, heading for the bunker exit. Sam was right behind him.

"I'm going with you!"

"No," Cruger said, quickly, as he reached the exit.

"But, I can help!" Sam said, desperately.

Cruger let out a deep sigh, as he turned to Sam.

"If you want to help me, then you'll stay here," Cruger said, as he glanced down at the teen. "Sam, I believe there is a great evil from my past out there. If that's true, then I need my family to be protected. You can do that for me. If anyone other than me comes through this door, you have to use your power to get my family as far away as possible. Please. You may be the only person that can protect what is most dear to me."

Sam took a deep breath.

"Okay," Sam said, as he watched Cruger turn back to the exit and open the large metal door. "Sir, good luck."

Cruger nodded to Sam and shut the door, which Sam locked via the control panel next to it. He turned his back on the door, hoping that Cruger could take care of the great evil out there. Sam wanted so much to disobey, but Cruger's plea for him to stay with Isinia and the pups was something Sam couldn't turn his back on.

* * *

Twenty-eight miles away from Newtech City was the center of affluence. Wealthy families who didn't want to deal with the hustle and bustle of city life usually moved away from Newtech City and took up residence in Lincoln Grove. As Syd pulled her car into a small side street and parked, she took a deep breath looking over at her partner, Z Delgado who was glancing at the one-level structure around the corner adjacent to the street.

"The rich folks in this town may not want these kids, but they sure do pay to protect them," Z said, as she pointed to the chain-link fence with barbed-wire rings around the very top.

"Not all of them," Syd said, with a sigh. "One couple wants Anna. I have to see her first. Mrs. Bradshaw sounded like the adoption was going through really quickly. I hope I'm not too late. If Anna's gone, she may have taken some important evidence along with her."

"You ready?" Z asked.

"As long as you keep the security out front occupied, I'll be fine," Syd said, with a smile.

"You got it," Z said, with a wink. "Be careful in there. If you get arrested, I'll have to pretend I don't know you."

"Very funny," Syd said, as she exited the vehicle and began walking towards the rear of the building.

At the front of the group home, near the security entrance, the tall guard stood with a handheld radio, as the driver of an arriving black car showed the man identification. He verified the driver's clearance and buzzed her through.

Victoria Shaw drove her car up to the front entrance of the group home, where the aging social worker, Angela Bradshaw waited on the front stairs, with a beaming smile. She took pride in her work and finding the Shaw family was one of her best achievements. She descended the stairs, as Victoria Shaw exited her vehicle, looking perfectly placed. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a simple black sweater and matching skirt. She removed her sunglasses and shook the elder woman's hand.

"It's so good to see you, Mrs. Bradshaw," Victoria said.

"It's always a pleasure, Mrs. Shaw," Mrs. Bradshaw said, as she looked a bit surprised. "But where's your husband today? I thought for sure you two were going to pick up Anna together."

"Unfortunately, he was got busy with work," Victoria said. "But trust me. He's never too busy for his family. This isn't a usual thing."

"Oh, don't worry," Mrs. Bradshaw said. "The interview process is over. You've bowled everyone over with your background and your charity work and clearly your love of children."

"Then I guess we should go inside," Victoria said, with a bubbly smile. "I can't wait to get Anna home."

The two entered the group home. As the doors to the facility closed, the guard at the entrance gate turned back to the street, keeping his eye out for any newcomers, just as one arrived...on foot.

He smiled, admiring her beauty. The form-fitting outfit she wore showed off all her curves. He was always a sucker for a latin beauty.

"What can I do for you, ma'am?" he asked Z Delgado.

"Ma'am?" Z said, with a smirk. "Come on. Do I really look like a ma'am to you?"

"It's protocol to greet all visitors as sir or ma'am," the guard responded. "No matter how young...and pretty they are."

"Well you're back in my good graces after that compliment..." Z said, as she read his nametag. "Bobby."

"Are you here to see someone?" Bobby asked.

"Actually, I'm with Space Patrol Delta," Z said, as she pulled out her badge, quickly flashing it.

"Wow, really?"

"You're surprised?"

"Whenever I think of Space Patrol Delta, I usually picture giant talking dogs and bears and such," Bobby said. "We don't get much S.P.D. attention around these parts."

"Well, we're thinking of expanding. You wouldn't believe how many aliens come to Earth and end up with just as many problems as us humans. That leaves quite a few alien youngsters without homes," Z said, faking sadness.

"So, you're here for a tour?" Bobby guessed. "I'll call inside and let them know."

As Bobby grabbed his radio, Z touched his hand, stopping him from activating it.

"Actually, I'd like to ask you some questions first," she said, flirting with him. "About the security setup. Nothing invasive or confidential. Just a few procedural questions."

"I'll try to answer as best as I can, but we do keep most details private," Bobby said.

"I'm sure you'll be perfect help," Z said, with a smile.

As she worked her magic with Bobby, Syd found herself climbing the fence at the rear of the building, near the group home's vacant playground. As she got closer to the top of the fence, where the barbed wire was attached, she grabbed tight to the steel fence.

She mentally activated her genetic power, causing her hands to turn to steel almost completely, as she touched the barbed wire using her wait to hop to the other side. By the time her feet hit the grass, her hands had returned to their normal appearance. She took a deep breath, glad to know that her entrance went undetected.

"Well, hello there!"

Syd turned quickly, hearing the young voice call to her. She was taken aback because the voice sounded a bit sleazy and she turned to see it belonged to a boy who looked no older than twelve years old.

"Well, hello," Syd said with a smile. "What are you doing out here by yourself?"

"Taking a smoke!" he said, with a smirk. "What about you, honey?"

"Honey," Syd said, looking disgusted. "How old are you?"

"I'll be thirteen in a week. How old are you?"

Syd smiled, as she leaned over a bit to face him better.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's impolite to ask a woman her age?"

"My mother tried to drown me when I was three!"

Syd felt a little sorry for the kid after hearing that. Her demeanor completely changed, until she heard the boy laughing.

"You totally bought that!" he said, sarcastically. "Tell me you're a social worker, please?"

"Okay, kid. Listen up!" Syd said, getting more annoyed by the second. "I'm looking for someone and I need to get in that building to find her."

"Oh, some girl-on-girl action," he said, with a big grin. "Sounds good."

"Can you stop with the whole sleaze bag thing? It's not working for you," Syd said, as she reached into her pocket. "Now, how much is it going to cost me to get in that building without anyone else seeing me. I need to find a girl named Anna Storm."

The kid stroked his chin, as he thought over her proposition.

"Hmm, I know where Anna's room is," he said. "I might even be able to show you, but you can't pay me with cash...too traceable. How bought you show me the goods?"

"The goods?" Syd said, looking confused.

"I want full-on bra action," he said, causing Syd to look disgusted.

"No way!" Syd said.

"No flash, no pass," he said, as he crossed his arms. "Clock's tickin' too. They're gonna notice I'm gone soon and when they find me with you, I have a feeling you'll be in more trouble than me."

Thirty seconds later, Syd found herself inside the group home, headed for Anna's room. However, her pint-sized guide was little help, as he still seemed mesmerized by the flash of flesh that she had given him outside. She continued on her way, determined to find the child she was actually looking for.

* * *

Inside the Myers Detention Facility, Officer Sonsky led Cash Donovan back to his cell, promptly locking him inside. Cash groaned, as he unzipped his red jumpsuit a bit. He saw Sky lying on his bunk and wondered if he was asleep. Cash was ready to relax himself and that meant getting out of his uncomfortable shoes.

But, as he walked over to the desk to use the chair, he noticed the wreckage of the table.

"What the—? Sky, what happened to my desk?" Cash said, looking shocked.

At that moment, he heard Sky laughing under his breath.

"You think this is funny?" Cash said. "I'm starting to think you have gone crazy. When Sonsky sees this, you're gonna be in big trouble."

Cash watched as Sky stood up from his bed and walked closer to him. His eyes looked dark, heavy, even in the dim lighting. When Sky grinned at Cash strangely, it caught him off-guard even more.

"Sky? Are you all right? Are you high?"

"You have no idea," Sky said, darkly. His tone was low, almost giddy.

"Well, I hope breaking my desk helped you blow off some steam, because you're gonna fix it!" Cash said, as he started to walk away, but Sky grabbed his arm, tightly.

"How about I fix you!?"

Wootox, in Sky's body, whipped Cash around by the arm, slamming him into the bars of the cell. Cash winced in pain, as his back connected with the metal bars. Wootox brought Sky's hand up to Cash's throat, clenching it, as he began to lift Cash off the ground. Cash banged his shoes against the bars of the cell, as he tried to push Sky away.

"Fine...forget...about the...desk," Cash said, through gritted teeth, as he struggled for air.

He was more terrified to see that Sky looked to clearly be enjoying himself, as he squeezed Cash's neck even tighter.

"Tate!" Sonsky yelled, as he ran up the cave, alerted by Cash's thrashing. "Tate, let him go!"

Sonsky quickly unlocked the cell and tackled Sky to the floor of the cell, as Cash fell there himself, gasping for air. Sky didn't try to struggle with Sonsky. He simply allowed the guard to over-power him and pull him to his feet. Sonsky looked around at the wreck inside the cell and he shook his head.

"That's it!" Sonsky yelled. "You're gone! I'm taking you to solitary!"

Sonsky pulled Sky out of the cell, as he continued to smile, glancing back at Cash.

"Too bad," Wootox commented, using Sky's voice. "I wasn't finished killing him!"

Cash watched intently, as Sonsky took Sky away, laughing all the way down the hallway. Cash gently rubbed his throat, catching his breath, wondering what exactly had just happened.

* * *

Back in Newtech City, B-Squad found themselves walking the streets of the east side of town, looking for a proverbial needle in a haystack.

"Eastern Newtech...a hive for criminals," Boom said. "I feel dirty just being out here."

"Don't forget the general scum, losers and alien outcasts," Meg Thurman added, as she walked beside him.

A few steps ahead, Casey Parker, B-Squad's Green Ranger, was walking alongside Duc Sato, who seemed unfazed by the thick stench of evil that exuded from this part of the city. She knew it was because he was dedicated to finding who killed his parents. It was a lifelong mystery that had haunted her friend to his very core. He wanted to bring honor to his family by bringing their murderer to justice.

"We can't stay out here forever," she said, knowing she had to mention it.

"I know," Duc said, quietly, as his eyes continued to scan seemingly every corner of the street.

Meg & Boom caught up to the two, as they approached a corner.

"I hate to say it, but this is hopeless," Boom said. "Besides, we don't even know if Piggy was telling the truth."

"I hate to agree with Boom, but he's right," Meg said. "We have no plan. It's not like Prax is just gonna appear out of nowhere."

As the quartet of cadets turned the corner, that was exactly what they saw. They all stopped in their tracks, as they saw Prax a few feet away, leaning against a building, smoking a cigar. He didn't seem to care that ash from the cigar was dripping onto his white pants.

"You had to say it," Casey said to Meg.

"I'm so glad you did," Duc said, with a smile. "Hey! Prax!"

The green alien creature turned as he saw B-Squad. He almost pretended that he didn't expect them, but he had. Prax had been watching the group for several miles now and had chosen this moment, this place to make his presence known.

"B-Squad," Prax said, his voice calm and steady. "You've found me."

"Why did you run away the last time?" Duc asked. "I thought you had information about my parents. You should have known I wouldn't give up on finding it."

"I have to say I underestimated you," Prax said.

"You've got a lot of questions to answer," Casey said.

Two members of B-Squad seemed to agree with her, looking forward to questioning him about his strange behavior. Duc, however, was not one of them. There was only one question he wanted Prax to answer.

"My parents...did you kill them?" Duc asked, causing Prax to back up a step in surprise. "We found your arrest record. I know you're not a concerned citizen. Just tell me the truth, finally!"

"I do know the truth," Prax said, as stared at them. "But it's not going to give you what you want."

"Don't try to confuse us with your riddles!" Boom yelled out, as he appeared a bit confused.

"What are you trying to say?" Duc yelled to him. "Did you kill my parents?"

"No," Prax said simply. "But I know who did."

As silence covered the area, the members of B-Squad exchanged curious glances. Then, Meg's glance turned to anger, as she looked at Prax, not believing him.

"Then, who did?" she yelled.

Prax slowly raised an accusatory finger towards B-Squad, once again confusing them.

"He did!" Prax screamed.

At that moment, a bomb exploded only a few feet away from B-Squad, sending them all flying into the air and crashing to the ground. As they choked on the smoke and ash of the fried concrete around them, they look up in the direction of the explosion. It was then that the person Prax had pointed to emerged. He had been standing behind B-Squad the entire time, waiting for his moment to strike. As Blaze stepped through the dark black smoke, he became visible to the cadets, who were all shocked at who they saw.

"You," Duc said, remembering Blaze's face from their trip to Fernovia.

He was the leader of the terrorists who had been bombing that planet for months. Duc couldn't believe that he had faced down his parents' killer before and so far away from Earth.

"Blaze!" Boom grunted, remembering his name.

"It can't be," Casey said, holding her hurt arm.

Then, they heard Prax's laughter, as he stepped up beside Blaze.

"You killed my parents," Duc said, staring a hole through Blaze.

"Yes!" Blaze said, giving him an evil grin. "I enjoyed it too!"

"It's true, cadets," Prax said. "The Sato's killer is Blaze...my good friend!"

"You tricked us!" Meg shouted in anger.

"Actually this is merely a prelude," Prax said. "The real party will soon start and I guarantee it will be much bigger than this!"

"What are you talking about?" Boom asked.

Inside S.P.D.'s auxiliary Earth station, Commander Kat Manx was seated at her desk, going over B-Squad's last patrol report, oblivious to what the squad was currently embroiled in. Then, the doors to Command Central slid open and Dr. Pryce Jensen walked in. As he passed Ghiren & Niyako at their stations, the two aliens glanced across at each other, giving their silent opinions about the tension in the room, which rose dramatically in an instant.

Kat looked up at him, with daggers in her eyes. Pryce, however, looked somber, full of remorse. He knew that his actions with the Delta X project had not only got him in trouble with his commanding officer, but it had ruined any progress he had made with Kat since his arrival on Earth.

"I'm sorry," Pryce said simply.

"What can I do for you today, Doctor?" Kat said, as her eyes returned to her work.

"You can talk to me," Pryce said, as he approached her desk.

He appeared a bit uncomfortable, as he glanced back and saw Ghiren & Niyako were present.

"Maybe in private?" he said to Kat.

"I have work to do," Kat said, still refusing to look at him. "Don't you have robots to get back to?"

"Kat, please. I made a mistake and I'm sorry I disobeyed you, but I'm a scientist first and I couldn't resist the huge opportunity that was right in front of me. X-Squad could be the biggest advancement in S.P.D. technology in years. I didn't think it would hurt anything to explore the future," Pryce said. "I can't believe that a fellow scientist wouldn't feel the same way."

"A fellow scientist might have informed her commanding officer...or asked permission," Kat said, angrily, as her eyes finally veered to him. "But you couldn't do that, could you? Because you knew I disagreed with the entire project from the start! You deliberately kept this from me to avoid dealing with authority. I should strip you of your position for insubordination."

Kat took her eyes back off of him, then began to chuckle under her breath.

"I can't believe I actually thought you wanted to resign," she said. "You really had me fooled."

"Kat, it's not like that, I swear," Pryce said. "I managed to fix the bugs in X-Squad's programming and I think they can do some good, whether you do or not. I'm sorry for disobeying your order, but I'm not sorry for having my own opinions and beliefs."

Kat was prepared to lash out again, when she heard an alert coming from Ghiren's tracking station.

"Commander!" he called out, causing her to stand immediately. "I've been tracking B-Squad as you ordered. I think they're in trouble!"

Kat walked over to Ghiren's station, where they glanced at a monitor, showing B-Squad laying on the ground, struggling to their feet at the hands of Prax and Blaze.

"What is going on?" Kat said, looking confused. "Where are they?"

"The east side of Newtech City," Ghiren, said, sounding surprised himself.

"What would they be doing there?" Pryce wondered aloud, as he walked over to the two.

"Possibly ruining a major investigation," Kat said, annoyed, as she knew exactly who Prax was and his connection to the Barrett Van Tigue case.

"Shouldn't we send Bridge & the senior Rangers?" Pryce said.

"They already left for Tokyo on assignment," Kat said, as she stared into the monitor at B-Squad.

Back on the east side of town, the four members of B-Squad had almost gotten to their feet. Prax continued to laugh as he watched them nearby, still standing next to Blaze.

"I think that was one of my best bombs," Blaze said. "Your plan worked like a charm."

"Oh, this is just the beginning," Prax said.

"You keep saying that!" Boom yelled. "What are you up to?"

"I can't reveal all my secrets right now, B-Squad," Prax said. "But I can assure you all that you figure prominently into my boss's plans, as does Newtech City. Soon, you will all find yourselves bowing to a new force in town."

"I can't wait," Blaze said, locking eyes with Duc, whose silence said more about his anger than any words could.

"Who says you'll have time to execute anything," Meg said, as she looked to her teammates. "We still outnumber you."

"Not for long!" Prax said, letting out an ominous cackle of laughter.

"Let's take this scum down! Ready, guys?" Casey yelled, grabbing her morpher.

The others followed suit, grabbing their morphers.

"We're so scared!" Blaze said. "You saw what I could do, even when you were morphed on Fernovia."

"This ain't Fernovia!" Duc said, fuming. "Ready!"

"S.P.D. Emergenc—"

Before they could finish their morphing call, their morphers sounded with an incoming transmission. Boom flipped his open.

"Go ahead," he said.

"B-Squad, return to Command Central, immediately," Niyako's calm female voice spoke through the device.

"What?" Meg said, looking shocked.

"Commander Manx has ordered you to stand down," Niyako said.

The cadets looked up at their foes again, as they heard Prax again letting out a hearty laugh.

"You're on a short leash, I see," Prax said. "It's no matter. Your day of reckoning is coming soon. Tell your Commander Manx that Space Patrol Delta will be no match for the future!"

B-Squad stood in fury, as they were forced to watch Prax and Blaze walk away. Duc fell to his knees, as every once of his being wanted to go after the cyborg that had confessed to killing his parents. He had balled his hands so tight into fists that he could feel his nails slicing into his skin. A small tear fell from his eye, as he continued to stare until Blaze was out of his line of sight.

* * *

"Thank you all for coming," Alaina Doherty addressed the other five members of the Galactic Council.

They were all seated in the living room of her very large apartment inside Karovian Towers on Andruss III. She had made sure they were comfortable and supplied with beverages. Alaina Doherty's apartment could be classified as a penthouse, but most apartments in the upscale complex were. As she sat in her favorite chair, which she had set up between two black couches, she glanced at her invited guests.

Seated on the couch nearest the door was Delphine and Trecineas. On the opposite side of the coffee table, Urgundii and Karina Kevlar were seated. Standing behind them, leaning over the back of the couch was Pheon, who had chosen to stand, as he pondered his own issues.

"Alaina," Delphine spoke up first, after taking a sip of the glass of water in her hand. "You were quite cryptic in your call to me earlier. Why are we here?"

"I felt it was necessary for us to meet in an informal setting," Alaina said. "I can't speak for everyone, but I'm deeply concerned about the recent decisions that this council has made."

"That is a disappointing thing to hear," Representative Kevlar of Divalia spoke. "We all have made our opinions heard. It is rare for one of our own to question a vote."

"You are clearly upset over what has occurred on Earth. We all sympathize," Urgundii said, nervously. "But, that is no reason to start doubting the Council."

"I don't doubt this Council," Alaina said. "I doubt our President. That is why I've called you all here."

"Cali?" Delphine said, curiously.

"Yes. He has been leading us in this direction for some time, where Earth is concerned," Alaina explained, seriously. "My faith is wavering in his leadership."

"What's your basis for losing faith?" Karina said.

"I have to ask the same question," Trecineas spoke up for the first time. "Everyone here knows that Cali and I rarely see eye-to-eye, but his people have always been known for their commanding presence. I mean three previous Octarians have been Council President. He's been a little overbearing lately but I don't see any reason to start chatting behind his back."

"I do!" Pheon said, annoyed.

"Pheon?" Alaina said, curious as to what her colleague had seemed on-edge about.

"Look, I guess I should tell you all now, since this has some bearing on the current status of things on the Council," Pheon started. "I'm contemplating resigning as the Barconian's representative on the Galactic Council."

Gasps were heard from the other members of the Council, as they digested the Lynx native's words.

"Pheon, you can't leave," Delphine said, disappointed.

"Why?" Trecineas said, mirroring Delphine's shock. "We're finally starting to get through to the Barconians."

"But we aren't!" Pheon said. "And I have a feeling that Cali is part of the reason."

"This is a surprise," Doherty said, not expecting to find an ally so soon.

"What are you basing this on?" Representative Kevlar spoke, always looking for facts.

"I was doing my routine communications verification with my liaison on Barconia. He sent me several dates and times that didn't match up with my records. I checked it out and I wasn't the one who called Barconia on at least a dozen occasions. The communications all came from the President's office," Pheon explained.

"Are you sure?" Delphine asked.

"Yes. I recognized Cali's frequency code immediately," Pheon said. "The fact that the Barconians are unbending in our efforts to mend their fences with the Triforians has me worried even more. Why would Cali be going behind my back to talk to the Barconians? If they want to deal with Cali directly, then there's no need for me or my job."

"I don't want you to make a rash decision, my friend," Trecineas said.

"I'm starting to feel worthless," Pheon said, annoyed.

"I can understand that," Alaina chimed in. "I'm also feeling like my position on the Council is becoming more meaningless by the day. Our President's job is not to take control of major decisions."

"Who's taking control?" Kevlar spoke. "We're the ones having secret meetings without informing him. Where's the fairness in that?"

"Yes," Urgundii agreed. "I agree Cali has taken extra interest lately, but I think it's because he's concerned with how the Council looks to the outside world. We're charged with so many important decisions. Just before the vote to close S.P.D. Earth, he told us as much."

"What?" Alaina said, looking suspicious.

"So you're saying that the three of you were actually discussing the upcoming vote that we had no idea Cali was proposing?" Trecineas said, glancing at Kevlar and Urgundii.

"Well..." Urgundii spoke, a bit more nervously. "The president just wanted to make sure we were keeping ourselves aware of the full picture."

Alaina let out a disappointing sigh.

"This is just the behavior I'm talking about. It's not Cali's job to campaign for support of his goals," Alaina said, troubled. "I just want us all to be sure that we're making decisions based on _our_ convictions and not being swayed by _anyone_ to change them."

* * *

Inside the bunker on Sirius, Sam Hastings paced in the hallway, glancing periodically at the entrance door, wondering when it would open again. As he slowly walked past Isinia's room, she saw him, as she lay in her bed.

"Sam," she called out.

Sam stopped in his tracks and peeked into the room.

"I think the pups are a little restless," Isinia said. "Would you hand them to me? I'm still a little weak."

"Okay," Sam said, as he walked over to the crib and saw the two were awake.

He lifted the female first, slowly, handing her to Isinia. As he went back for the other, he smirked.

"Did you and Commander Cruger decide on names?" Sam wondered. "I mean, we can't keep calling them pups, can we?"

"No, I guess you're right," Isinia said, as she took her son from Sam's arms.

He stood beside Isinia's bed, watching her cradle both in her arms.

"Anubis and I didn't settle on names. We didn't know if we were getting boys or girls," Isinia explained. "Doggie mentioned wanting to name his son Pareis. That was his father's name."

"Oh, were they close?" Sam asked.

"No!" Isinia said quickly. "They hardly ever got along once Doggie matured. His father wanted him to become a tailor, like he was."

"A tailor?" Sam said, trying to hold back a chuckle. "I can't really imagine Doggie sewing pants."

"Neither could I," Isinia whispered. "It caused quite a rift. His father was not one for violence and he saw Doggie's aspirations for service as throwing away a prosperous future. It's really surprising that Doggie was the last Sirian standing."

"So, you're going to name him Pareis?"

"You know, I don't think I will," Isinia said, nodding. "I always loved Doggie for sticking to his convictions and following his own dreams. He was always so independent. I hope his son gains those qualities. In fact, I can think of no one better to name him after than his father."

Isinia smiled, as she saw her son gripping tight to her finger.

"Anubis Cruger Junior," Isinia announced.

"Cool," Sam said. "But what about her?"

"I don't know," Isinia said, with a sigh. "She's been so full of life. She doesn't seem to fit any of the traditional female names: Ishtara, Isary, Ismay—"

"All the traditional girls' names start with 'I'?" Sam said, curiously.

"Yes," Isinia said. "Just like all male Sirian names end in 'I' and 'S', all female names begin with 'I' and 'S'."

"Wow, I never knew that," Sam said.

"That's probably because you've only met two of us," Isinia said, with a chuckle.

"Kinda ironic too," Sam said. "My mom's name was Isabelle."

"Isabelle?" Isinia said. "That's a pretty name."

"She never did anything particularly heroic though," Sam said. "She was just an ordinary mom."

"She brought you into the world," Isinia said, nudging his arm. "That's pretty spectacular. I like it. Would you mind?"

"No. I guess not," Sam said. "But, it's not very Sirian, is it?"

"Maybe I can make it a little more...unique," Isinia said, as she pointed to a desk nearby. "Hand me that pad."

Sam grabbed the small LCD pad, handing it to Isinia.

"How did your mother spell her name?" Isinia asked.

As Sam called out the letters, Isinia input them on the small electronic device.

**ISABELLE**

"Hmm," Isinia said, as she began to fiddle with the letters. "How about this?"

**ISOBEL**

"Isobel," Sam read. "I like it."

"Anubis and Isobel," Isinia said, as she faced her children, introducing them to their names. "I think it fits."

"A.J. and Izzy," Sam said, with a smirk. "Definitely sounds like Sirians I'd hang out with."

Isinia laughed at his nicknames.

"I just hope Anubis likes them," Isinia said, with a sigh.

The mention of Cruger's name caused the tension to rise in the room. Sam & Isinia both found themselves silenced, as their thoughts veered to Cruger, leaving behind only the soft cooing of the newborns.

Outside the bunker, Cruger trotted towards the shuttle, carrying a small fire extinguisher. As he began to put out the flames of his shuttle, his eyes seemed mesmerized by the flames and the smoke. He was once again taken back to the final battle of Sirius, unable to shake the memory from his mind. The Krybots were once again on top of him, as he clawed for life. He had lost sight of his wife, until he heard her screams, followed by the devious laughter of Benaag.

"Heh heh heh."

Cruger blinked, as he realized the final cackle wasn't a memory. Like earlier, it seemed to be coming from the present. He stopped the extinguisher, dropping it, as his Sirian senses alerted him to grave danger. Even now, he remembered the stench of Benaag's presence. He turned, but it was too late, as he met with a slashing claw attack from Benaag, which sent Cruger spinning into the air and crashing to the ground, before he could even grab his Shadow Saber.

"We meet again, Cruger!" Benaag yelled, furiously. "But this time, I guarantee you won't see the same result!"

Benaag's laughter seemed to get louder, as it penetrated Cruger's brain, echoing into the dark recesses of his mind.

* * *

In the office of social worker, Angela Bradshaw, the woman sat behind her desk, pulling up the records on Anna Storm and the Shaw family who wanted to adopt her. As she glanced across her desk at Victoria Shaw, Mrs. Bradshaw couldn't help chuckling.

"What is it?" Victoria said, with a smile.

"I don't know," Mrs. Bradshaw said. "You and I have met on several occasions, but I just can't shake this feeling that I've seen you somewhere else. I know you and your husband are living in Newtech City and I don't really get into the city often."

"It's true," Victoria Shaw responded. "Newtech City can be a bit crowded. Actually, we've been thinking of getting a place closer to Lincoln Grove, especially if Anna's made friends here. We want to move the adoption through quickly, but we still want to help her make the transition smoothly."

"I think that's wonderful," Mrs. Bradshaw said, beaming. "Everything I've learned about you and your husband, Barry, has led me to believe that you will be perfect parents."

On the other side of the desk, Victoria Shaw smiled widely, accepting Mrs. Bradshaw's compliment. After all, it meant that her ruse had been set up perfectly. She couldn't wait for it to be done, however. Hearing the name 'Victoria Shaw' was beginning to annoy her. She always felt much more comfortable being called...Lady Vishus.

Anna Storm sat on her bed, with her knees pulled up to her chin. As usual she was sad, as she glanced around her room at all of the gifts that her mother had given to her over the years. It hit Anna that she wouldn't be receiving anything else from her mother. She had been sitting in the bed ever since, trying to cry, but unable to find any tears left.

At that moment, she heard a knock at her door. She walked over and opened it, shocked at who she saw. Syd scurried into the room quickly before anyone could see her. Anna smiled.

"Syren!"

"Hi Anna, glad to see you again. Do you mind if I visit for a while?" Syd said, with a smile.

"Um, where's Mrs. Bradshaw?" Anna asked. "She doesn't usually allow visitors in our rooms."

"Well, this is a special visit," Syd said, deciding to level with the girl, who was approaching her teen years. "Mrs. Bradshaw doesn't know that I'm here. Anna, I have to ask you some things about your mom. Can you help me?"

"What about my mom?"

"Did she call you the day that she died?" Syd said, realizing how difficult the question might be.

"No," Anna said, sadly. "I hadn't talked to her in a day or so. I thought she had called, but she hadn't."

"What do you mean, you thought she called?"

"I had been out having dinner," Anna said. "I don't carry the cellphone she gave me out in public. She said I shouldn't show it to anyone. So, when I came back, I saw that her number had called. I must have missed her."

"Do you mind if I take a look at your phone?" Syd asked.

"Okay," Anna said, as she went over to her bed and reached into her pillowcase, grabbing the device. "The battery's getting kinda low. I figured there was no reason to charge it anymore...since mom can't call."

Syd activated the phone and noticed the battery was getting low. She pressed a few buttons, until she found what she was looking for and smiled.

"This is it!"

"What?" Anna said, as she glanced at the phone's screen.

"Your mom...she emailed you pictures," Syd said, as she squinted, trying to make out what was in them.

"Pictures of what? Her?" Anna asked, curiously.

"Um, I'm not sure," Syd said, as she could tell that there was some kind of writing there. "I need to take this with me. It's really important."

Syd knew she had to get the phone back to S.P.D. for the pictures to be downloaded and analyzed.

"Go ahead," Anna said, somberly. "I don't have much use for it."

Syd headed for the door and couldn't help looking back at the twelve-year old. She felt horrible leaving her there. She saw Anna walk quietly over to her bed and sit back down. Syd felt a little better when she saw the drawings on Anna's wall, showing what appeared to be several children playing on a playground similar to the one outside. Something else in the picture caught her eye.

She walked slowly over to the wall, as her eyes zoomed in on the letters written in the corner of the paper.

"Nova," she said, reading the word. "Anna, did you draw this?"

"Yeah," Anna said. "It's kind of a nickname. I'm really good at astronomy. I even won a contest and got to name a star. I named it after my mom. The other kids thought it was kinda funny and they started calling me Nova after that. It's kinda geeky, I know."

As Syd stared at the picture, her mind began to race, as she started to put together pieces of a futuristic puzzle that was starting to dawn on her. She did the math in her head. Sam was barely a year older than Anna...it couldn't be. She wanted to think it was a coincidence, but the future didn't lie. She had never learned the Nova Ranger's name, but if this was her, then Syd knew she had a much bigger problem than she came in with.

* * *

As Sky awoke, he felt a pounding headache practically shaking his entire body. As he regained his bearings, he realized that it wasn't actually his body he was feeling. Still on the ground, he began to touch himself, realizing that in fact he was in someone else's body. When he realized it still felt familiar, it came to him.

"Wootox," he grunted, as he made his way to his feet.

"I'm sorry. Wootox is unavailable right now, but I'd be glad to give him a message for you!"

Sky turned quickly, seeing Slate, another captured criminal, who now appeared free.

"Slate, you're here too?"

"Oh, I thought you knew," Slate said, in his sly tone. "I've been here all along. Maybe this will help you remember."

In an instant, Slate transformed himself into Mirloc, causing Sky to jump back, almost bumping into Sinuku, his latest attacker, who pushed him forward.

"Time for round two!" Sinuku yelled, wielding his sword.

"This time it'll be a team effort!" Dru yelled from Sky's right. "I still owe you after the shower, old friend!"

Dru transformed himself into his true form, Giganus right before Sky's eyes. Trapped inside Wootox's body, Sky saw that the three alien criminals were closing in on him from all sides. When he heard Mirloc's grunt, he knew the battle had begun.

He blocked Slate/Mirloc's barrage of punches and kicks, striking back, until Sinuku attacked him from behind, slashing at his back with his sword. Sky fell forward, grunting in pain.

"Be careful," Mirloc said, devilishly. "We don't want Wootox to be upset about his body."

"He'll get over it!" Giganus grunted, as he picked up Sky, lifting him into the air and tossing him into the sky.

As Wootox's body began to fall, Giganus called upon his arm blaster, firing on Sky in mid-air. Sky crashed to the asphalt, groaning in pain. As he looked around, he realized where he was. It was the roof of the prison. He had to get back inside. Somehow, he had to alert those inside that he was trapped inside the alien's body.

He was even more worried, when he realized that if he and Wootox had changed bodies, then he was inside impersonating Sky. He grabbed at his neck, feeling Wootox's translator was indeed there. The other humans would be able to understand him. He just had to get to them. His adversaries, however, weren't done yet. All three were stalking close to him. As they got right on top of him, Sky waited for his chance.

Giganus planted his foot down on Sky's back, pressing him further into the ground. With Slate approaching as Mirloc, laughing evilly, Sinuku drew his sword high into the air, reading to stab down.

"Remember to hit the right spot!" Giganus yelled to Sinuku.

As Sinuku brought the weapon down towards Sky, he used Wootox's strength to his advantage, knocking Giganus off of him and into Mirloc. Sky sweeped Wootox's leg around, taking Sinuku off his feet. His sword flew into the air, where Sky caught it, bringing it around for a powerful slashing attack that caught both Giganus and Slate, knocking both monsters backwards in a barrage of sparks. With all three of them down, Sky sprinted towards the entrance to the prison.

He reached the door and opened it, only to bump into the security guard who had been heading in that direction.

"Help," Sky yelled. "You've got to help me! I'm Sky Tate! Those criminals switched my body."

Sky's panic had clouded his vision, as he never noticed the woman's face under the baseball cap. He did, however, recognize the chuckle of laughter coming from her mouth in that moment. She slowly raised her head, giving him a good look at her face.

"Of course they did. I told them to!" Morgana said, laughing boldly.

"Morgana—" Sky could barely feel the shock sink in when he was stunned by the tazer Morgana had been holding in her hand.

Still trapped in Wootox's body, Sky collapsed there on the rooftop, with Morgana standing tall over his body.

* * *

On Andruss III, Sevarus had almost finished his examination of Officer Hawk. He was now convinced that Hawk might never walk again without several invasive surgeries to replace his damaged parts with cybernetic attachments. Sevarus shook his head, upset at the waste of life.

He heard beeping coming from his mobile communicator and he answered it, already knowing who he was going to be talking to.

"Yes, Mr. President," Sevarus said.

"Has my package arrived?"

"I believe it has, judging by the way it tore through Officer Hawk," Sevarus said.

"Good. Then that means Cruger will be next!"

"Cruger?" Sevarus said. "You never said anything about destroying anyone."

"Well, plans change," Cali said. "My plans for the future of S.P.D. are being dragged out longer than I anticipated, so Cruger will have to be put out of commission. In fact, I'm ordering you to make sure that none of them leave Sirius...ever!"

"What?" Sevarus said, shocked. "You can't order me to hurt anyone anymore than I already have!"

"I can order you, doctor," Cali said, angrily. "Benaag will take care of Cruger, but it will take time. I can't risk the others making an escape and calling for reinforcements. They will all have to be eliminated! If you refuse, I'll make certain that Benaag doesn't leave before finishing you off!"

Cali cut the transmission, which had Dr. Sevarus shaking his head furiously, refusing to ever kill anyone. It was against his oath as a doctor. But now, it was his life on the line. If he didn't obey Cali, he would be the next to go instead.

Hawk began to stir wildly in his bed. Sevarus rushed to his side, trying to calm him, as Hawk was attached to the oxygen and clearly having some sort of panic attack, as he awoke from his terrible ordeal. Sevarus could only imagine the kind of pain Hawk was in, as he grabbed wildly at Sevarus' arms.

"It's all right, Hawk," Sevarus said. "Just stay calm!"

Just as Hawk was about to raise his palm to Sevarus, the doctor grabbed a syringe of blue fluid from a tiny case inside his medical bag. Sevarus took a deep breath, mustering the courage to carry out Cali's order. He walked back over to Hawk's body, as the officer continued to jerk himself around wildly. Sevarus plunged the needle into Hawk's neck, releasing the poisonous chemical into Hawk's body. Within seconds, his attempts to move were halted, as the life was drained from his body. Sevarus checked for a pulse.

"What have I done?"

Outside the bunker, Cruger was still down on the ground. He grabbed his Shadow Saber from his waist, but Benaag sent Cruger's wrist crashing to the ground. The pain of his boot clamped down on Cruger's wrist forced him to release the Saber from his grip. Benaag reached down, grabbing the Shadow Saber. He tossed it several feet away, where the saber fell, blade-first into the soft ground.

"Sorry, Anubis," Benaag said. "This fight isn't going to be like the last. I won't even let you play fairly and you know me. I never fight fair, just ask Isinia!"

Cruger struggled to get up, but his arm was still at Benaag's mercy. He laid there hurt, forced to listen to Benaag's maniacal laughter.

Back in the bunker, Dr. Sevarus found himself standing over Hawk's dead body, removing the oxygen from him and cursing himself within. At that moment, the doors slid open and Sam walked in, looking concerned, as he saw Sevarus' face.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Sam said, as he walked closer to the bed.

Caught off-guard, Sevarus began to shift himself around nervously. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but Officer Hawk didn't make it," Sevarus said.

Sam looked sad, as he walked a bit closer to Hawk's side, glancing at Hawk's eyes, which were still open. Sevarus headed for the door.

"I'll tell Isinia," Sevarus said, exiting.

Sam shook his head, as he gently raised his hand to Hawk's face, closing his eyes. Sam was taken back to the day he saw Jack Landors body in the Infirmary back on Earth. He hadn't gotten the chance to know Hawk, but he had embraced the teen instantly. Just then, Sam caught sight of something strange. He looked at Hawk's neck and saw a tiny needle mark, with a drop of blue coming from it.

Sam looked confused, as he looked back at the doorway, once again deeply troubled.

* * *

"Right this way," Mrs. Bradshaw said, as she led Victoria Shaw a.k.a. Lady Vishus down the hallway to Anna's room.

Mrs. Bradshaw smiled, as she opened Anna's room, without even a knock. Once the door was open, she noticed that the room was empty. Most of Anna's belongings were gone, along with the girl. Mrs. Bradshaw looked shocked.

"Where is she?!" Vishus yelled.

"I—I don't understand," Mrs. Bradshaw said.

Outside the facility, Syd's car was soon started and on its way, as Z rejoined her. After buckling in, Z glanced over at Syd.

"Did you get what you came for?" she asked.

"...and more," Syd said, as she nodded towards the backseat.

Z turned and glanced in the back, where she saw Anna asleep on the seat.

"Syd, I hope you know what you're doing," Z said.

"Trust me," Syd said. "There's a lot of things I'm not sure about in this world, but I think I may have just somehow saved the future."

Z looked confused, as Syd's car continued on its way.

* * *

The four members of B-Squad quickly headed for Central Command, anticipating a very tense meeting with Commander Kat Manx. They were, however, still reeling from their confrontation with Prax and Blaze and the revelations it brought.

"I can't believe that Kat called us back," Meg said. "We could have stopped them!"

"I don't know why she did it," Duc said, walking at her side, still seething. "But, I can tell you one thing. The next time I'm face to face with Blaze, I don't think I'll be able to stop myself from fighting him."

"I still can't believe he's the same cyborg from Fernovia," Casey chimed in. "What a freaky coincidence."

"And what was that Prax said about S.P.D. being no match for the future?" Boom said, still pondering the words.

As they turned the corner and entered Command Central, they saw Commander Kat Manx standing in the center of the room. The four members of B-Squad piled in, all noticing that she was furious. They passed Ghiren & Niyako at their stations, without even a glance. All eyes were on Kat.

"I don't know what you think you were doing out there," Kat said. "But you may have just sabotaged a very important top-level investigation. B-Squad, you've got some major explaining to do!"

* * *

On Andruss III, President Cali's loyal assistant, Tawke, sat at her desk, as she had for almost all day, pondering the conversation she had stumbled upon between Representatives Doherty and Urgundii. It was troubling to hear the Council members discussing private meetings without the president's knowledge.

She had finally resigned herself to tell her boss what she had heard. As she entered his large office, she noticed that Cali was not seated at his desk, as he usually was at this hour. Tawke usually had to pry him away from his work to get him to go home most days. As she walked further in, she began to hear whispers, coming from one of the small rooms that connected to Cali's main office.

As Tawke heard his quiet voice speaking, she walked closer to the door, which led to his private bathroom. Given her large alien ears, she had always possessed excellent hearing. It made her the perfect assistant in the Council Chamber, able to hear all points and arguments to document for the Council.

She pressed her ear to the door and heard Cali speaking.

"Listen to me, Trixx! I know you're tired of your extended vacation and I'm aware that you want your post back."

Tawke knew Trixx was the former Commander of the Triforian S.P.D. Station, who had been ousted for commanding Triforia's Rangers not to answer the Barconian distress call that led to their convoy's destruction.

"You promised me," Trixx responded.

His voice was slightly altered, she noticed. It sounded as if Cali must have been talking to him through a transmitting device.

"I always keep my promises, Trixx," Cali said. "You played your role and once the Council is dissolved, you will be reinstated as Commander on Triforia. You must be patient!"

Tawke appeared shocked and deeply troubled by what she heard, as she crept back out of the office the same way she entered, undetected. Once she got back to her desk, she found herself once again, silently pondering a conversation she was not meant to hear.

* * *

Back on Fenix Prime, Wootox found himself being tossed into solitary confinement by Officer Sonsky. The small room was completely black and he couldn't see much after Sonsky locked the door. Then, a square-shaped beam of light penetrated the small cell, as Sonsky opened the small observation door near the top of the door, to look in on his prisoner.

"Get comfortable, Tate!" Sonsky yelled. "You're gonna be here for a long, long time!"

Wootox laughed heartily, as he stared at Sonsky.

"You have no idea how wrong you are," Wootox said.

Back in his cell, Cash was still digesting the situation, as his breathing finally seemed to return to normal. He heard the sound of keys hitting each other in the distance. He walked over to the bars of the cell, not even wanting to imagine what else could be nearby. He hoped Sonsky wasn't returning with Sky, especially given how strange Sky's behavior had become. Cash glanced down the hallway and saw Officer Morgan walking by an adjacent corridor, heading towards solitary confinement.

As she passed his cellblock, Cash noticed she was carrying a one of the prison's kitchen knives, which he saw her tuck into her back pocket. He ducked away from the bars, making sure she didn't catch sight of him. It was another strange occurrence in Myers Detention Facility on this day. Cash had no idea what was going on. It appeared that everyone around him was going completely nuts.

Morgana entered solitary confinement, nodding to Sonsky, as she approached him.

"What happened?" she asked Sonsky.

"Tate decided to attack his cellmate. I've had enough. I think Warden Gaines will agree that this was the best place for S.P.D. boy!" Sonsky reasoned.

"I think you're right," Morgana said. "In fact, I can think of no better place."

She got close to Sonsky, gently rubbing against his chest. He let out a devious smile.

"I think you're starting to get the hang of things around here," he said, as he rubbed her arm.

Given that he was almost a foot taller than she was, Morgana guided his head down towards her own. She moved her lips near his ear.

"I think you're right," Morgana said, as she reached into her back pocket, grabbing the knife she placed there.

She thrust the weapon into Sonsky's chest, at just the right angle and position to deal a fatal blow. It took a few moments for his hulking form to collapse to the floor, but Morgana watched in delight, as he died, staring at her with a shocked face. She never bothered to pull the knife from his body, as she returned to the corridor and waved in her comrades, Sinuku and Giganus, who were carrying Wootox's body. Morgana unlocked the solitary confinement cell, allowing Wootox to walk out in Sky's body.

He laughed, as he saw Sonsky's dead body on the floor of the corridor. He bent over and pulled the kitchen knife out of Sonsky's chest, gripping it tight, before tossing it to the floor. Sinuku and Giganus dragged Wootox's body closer, allowing him to transfer his essence back into his own body.

Just as Sky realized he was back in his own body, he was stunned with the tazer again by Morgana, who pushed him into the cell, closing and locking it. While Sinuku & Giganus helped Wootox regain his bearings and exit, Morgana opened the small observation hatch on the door and smiled.

"Welcome home...murderer!" Morgana sneered, as she closed the door, leaving Sky trapped in darkness, alone.

UP NEXT...

(Special Mini-Episode)  
**"Wounds"**  
Quinn, Bridge & Sophie arrive in Tokyo, where  
Ellie Gray assists them with the coded message that  
could lead them to the identity of S.P.D. Earth's.  
traitor. Quinn finds it hard being back home after  
the turmoil of the last year and Sophie confides  
in Bridge about her surprising fears.

AND YEAR 3 CONTINUES IN...

**"Kindred"**  
Barrett prepares to launch his invasion plan. Bridge, Quinn &  
Sophie return with damning proof of Sevarus' guilt, but it may  
be too too late for those on Sirius, as Sam begins to catch onto  
Sevarus' treachery. Z & Piggy reach an impasse. Syd finds a safe  
place for Anna. Cruger struggles to face Benaag in the present.  
Trapped in solitary confinement, Sky reaches out for help the  
only way he can, as Cash finds himself on Morgana's hit list.


	16. Wounds

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"WOUNDS"**

The future is truly unpredictable. Some may claim that every person is on a predetermined path, with no way to change the course. Psychics have predicted disasters, wars and fates for decades. But the true knowledge of the future is impossible for one reason. Every action is followed by a reaction. This reaction can be one of a million different possibilities, leading an entity down a path that is therefore ever-changing. Simple predictions of what may happen in the short-term are inevitable and may be the truth, but life-altering futures are never seen coming.

But to make the quest for future truth easier, there is one area of human understanding that can be studied. It is in human reaction that fates can change in an instant. Sometimes the best way to determine what is ahead for man is to explore his reaction to the past.

**JUNE 2011 – Tokyo, Japan (16 Years Ago)**

"...city finds itself still gripped by this human tragedy. It's times like this when the human condition endures. One has to look no further than Space Patrol Delta Headquarters in Newtech City, which has become the center of this heartbreaking story and the center of a fight to save one precious life. An outpouring of support has come not only from our own country, but beyond America, beyond Earth, even to the stars. This is Gordon Kendrick, reporting live in Newtech City for GNN."

As the Global News Network's evening report continued, Eric Gray cut the power to the flat screen television with the press of a button. He sighed, wishing he hadn't turned on the news upon his early arrival home from work.

The sad situation a half a world away in Newtech always made him long for his child. It was true for any parent. Hearing the plight of one youngster always made them feel closer and more protective to their own. That thought made him even more curious, as he stood up and glanced around his empty home.

As if on cue, he heard the key card swipe at the door. As he saw the old-fashioned wooden door open, he smiled. His family was home. Upon seeing her husband standing in the living room, Ellie Gray scurried inside, carrying their sleeping son in one arm and her key card in the other hand. She looked genuinely surprised to see her husband, as she quickly pushed the door, closing it as much as she could.

"Eric...you're home," Ellie said, nervously.

"Hey," Eric responded with a smile. "Where were you two off to?"

"Oh...um, nowhere," Ellie said. "Just thought we could use a day out."

Eric was a bit taken aback. He had known his wife for many years and it was unlike her to be cryptic about anything. He was a bit unsettled, as he walked closer, reaching for his son.

"Well, he looks tuckered out."

"Yeah," Ellie said, turning a bit, keeping the two-year old slightly out of Eric's reach. "Late nap. I'll put him down."

Ellie walked quickly toward their son's room, again catching Eric Gray off-guard. He walked back over to the door to close it. Naturally, his eye peeked through the crack and he once again noticed something strange. Sitting outside the door was a small suitcase. He turned his back on the door, glancing in the direction of Quinn's room. He found himself more troubled than ever.

**APRIL 2027 – Tokyo, Japan (Present Day)**

Ellie Gray snapped herself out of her past as she heard a key card swiping outside of her front door. She stood up from her couch and turned to the doorway, just in time to see a very familiar face had arrived.

"Sweetheart, you're here," Ellie said, as she walked over to her son, hugging him.

As she gripped him tightly, she saw Quinn hadn't come alone, as she had expected. She smiled, as she saw Bridge Carson and Sophie enter, followed by the trotting robotic patrol hound, Murphy.

"Hey mom," Quinn said, warmly.

"How was traffic?" Ellie asked, as she released Quinn.

"We wouldn't know," Quinn said, as Sophie opened the front door a bit more to reveal they had come in a small S.P.D. shuttle.

"Of course," Ellie said, with a smirk.

"Mrs. Gray, it's good to see you," Bridge said.

Ellie extended a hand to shake his, but Bridge instead grabbed her into a hug, as if she were his own mother. The gesture took Ellie by surprise.

"Nice to see you too, Bridge," she said.

Next Ellie greeted Sophie.

"Where can we set up?" Sophie asked, gesturing towards the briefcases she and Bridge were carrying.

"Oh...my office," Ellie said, pointing to the appropriate door. "I cleared space in there for everything. Thankfully, things have been slow at work, so I've had some extra time to analyze the message. I think we're pretty close to a breakthrough."

"That's what I like to hear," Bridge said, as he walked off towards the office with Sophie.

As his friends departed, Quinn took a deep breath, as he closed the front door.

"Home sweet home," he said.

"Glad you still think so," Ellie said, unable to ignore the troubles of the last year.

As Quinn walked back towards her, Ellie noticed Murphy keeping pace with him, as if the canine was refusing to leave his side.

"You've gained a new fan since I last saw you," Ellie said, pointing at Murphy.

Quinn sighed.

"I think he misses Sky," Quinn said. "Ever since he was sent to prison Murphy's been like this. He did the same thing to Sky after Commander Silverback died. I always thought he hung around Sky because of the battlizer connection, but this is kinda weird."

"Sounds like his processes have gotten used to you," Ellie said. "Now you're his connection to Sky."

"I guess so," Quinn said, as he scratched his head.

When Ellie saw the small bandage on Quinn's hand, she looked troubled. Her motherly instincts kicked in and she grabbed his hand gently.

"What happened?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Quinn said, shrugging off the slight injury. "I cut myself while I was helping with the move out of the Delta Base."

Inside Ellie's office, Bridge and Sophie began to unpack their briefcases, which were filled with several LCD pads of varying sizes, a laptop computer terminal and several data discs. As Bridge set things up, he glanced across the room at Sophie.

"You okay?" Bridge asked. "You've been kinda quiet since we left Newtech City."

Sophie took a deep breath as her eyes met Bridge's.

"It just feels weird," she said. "I guess I was just starting to get used to the changes at home and now we're here."

"It's only a day trip," Bridge said. "But...I'm glad to hear you calling Newtech City home."

"For now," Sophie said, with a smirk. "You know, part of me wasn't surprised when Kat told us about Z and Syd being undercover. It makes a lot of sense when you think about it."

"Is this about your status as Pink Ranger?" Bridge asked, curiously.

"I see now why it's temporary."

"Sophie, you've proven yourself as a member of this team," Bridge said, trying to reassure her. "Temporary or not, you're one of us now. I can't believe you're actually insecure. I didn't even know that was possible."

"Because I'm a cyborg?"

"No. It's because ever since you came back to Newtech City I haven't seen any signs of you being unsure of yourself," Bridge said.

"Well, now you know," Sophie said, with a sigh. "I guess a part of me will always be that insecure cadet from two years ago."

* * *

Quinn Gray found himself in his old room. It hadn't changed much since he left the place to attend the S.P.D. Academy in Newtech City. It seemed like an eternity had passed since then. Everything seemed smaller than before. His bed, his dresser, his desk. As he walked closer to his desk he saw something that caught his eye. He reached out, grabbing the framed photograph with his bandaged hand. As he looked at the three individuals in the photo, he realized just how much things had changed. 

"An eternity," Quinn mumbled, not realizing his mother had entered behind him.

Ellie Gray walked up behind Quinn, peeking over his shoulder at the family picture.

"Wow," Ellie said, as she took a closer look. "I think you were fresh out of the hospital when we took that picture."

As Quinn's eyes veered to his father, he searched is memory, trying to find some remembrance of the man he had tried to understand for years, the man who had abandoned them when he was only a child. Now, sixteen years later, Quinn knew why his father had left, but there were still unanswered questions clouding his mind.

"How did he find out?" Quinn said, practically whispering.

He looked at his mother and saw the fear in her eyes. Ellie took a deep breath, as her eyes veered to his bandaged hand and then the photograph of the Gray family. Seeing Quinn's hand had brought back memories and his question opened the floodgates.

**JUNE 2011 – Tokyo, Japan (16 Years Ago)**

Inside Quinn Gray's bedroom, his father peeked in, seeing the boy fast asleep in his child-sized bed. Eric smiled, as he grabbed a green blanket, which was folded on top of Quinn's toy chest. He began to cover his son up when he noticed Quinn's arm. The boy was wearing short sleeves. Eric curiously raised the sleeve a bit, noticing a bandage on the boy's arm.

Eric Gray was troubled and knew it was time for answers. He walked out of Quinn's room, headed for the kitchen, where he knew his wife was cooking dinner. As he passed the living room, he noticed that the Global News Network was once again on the television. He passed by, not paying any attention to the breaking news report.

"Hey," Ellie said with a smile, as she saw her husband enter the kitchen.

"What happened to Quinn?" Eric asked, quickly becoming disturbed at his wife's secrecy.

"What do you mean?" Ellie said, unable to keep her eyes focused on his.

"His arm. What's with the bandage?" Eric said, impatiently.

"It's nothing," Ellie said, with a slight chuckle. "You know boys. Can't go too long with a few bumps and bruises."

"So you're saying what? He fell?"

"I'm saying it was nothing," Ellie said. "What's with the interrogation?"

"You're hiding something from me and I want to know what it is?"

"I'm not hiding anything?" Ellie said, tensely.

"Then why did you take a suitcase on your so-called outing today?" Eric said, angrily.

Ellie glanced deeply into his eyes for the first time since entered the room.

"What is it?" Eric said, now filled with fear more than anything else.

**APRIL 2027 – Tokyo, Japan (Present Day)**

"What happened?" Quinn asked his mother.

Ellie let out a deep sigh. She shook her head, as a knock was heard on the wall near the doorway to Quinn's room. They both looked over to see Bridge standing there.

"We're all set up," Bridge said.

"We'll be right there," Quinn said, quickly.

Bridge nodded, before heading back to the office.

"We should get to work," Ellie said, somberly.

It had become a nasty habit for her. She hated pushing the truth away, but it was her flashback to the past that made her realize she had been doing it for so long. It amazed her how one mistake had altered her future so much.

* * *

Ellie Gray's office was a comfortable place, Bridge thought as he tucked himself a little deeper into one of the twin cushioned chairs that sat in front of her desk. At his right in the other chair was Sophie, who was glancing at the LCD pad in her hand. At her feet, Murphy sat quietly. Ellie was seated behind her desk, in a taller chair that seemed contoured to fit her body proportions. Quinn was seated on the edge of her desk at her side, as she keyed in several commands on her computer terminal. Bridge had set up his smaller laptop on the opposite side of the desk, well within his reach. 

After Ellie finished keying in a specific sequence, a small projection beam lit up on the monitor and reflected data onto the wall, allowing everyone to see the program she was pulling up. Once the program was opened a copy of the coded message they had spent weeks studying was displayed on the window, partially translated by Ellie Gray.

"Here's what I've been able to figure out so far," Ellie said, as they all glanced at the wall projection...

yt i is oi acco i to you pas.  
T coti t co o s p cty.  
ot su o o I ca stay o t i aa .  
If I ct y o t y ay t suspicious.  
I ay a to tu to aay co a as you pois .

As Bridge saw all of the gaps in the code, he lost a little optimism.

"It's like an intergalactic game of Hangman," he mumbled with a smile that no one in the room returned.

"You got a lot done, mom," Quinn said.

"I created a language algorithm program that works like a decoder. Once I knew the Vinali connection, I was able to load their language data into the program and this is what I got," Ellie explained. "Mostly simple words, but once those were decoded, we got lucky. S.P.D.'s spy seemed to repeat a lot of common letters."

"Stay, if, is, suspicious, you," Bridge rattled off the words that were already fully decoded.

"Not much to go on," Quinn chimed in.

"Well, we may be able to help with that," Bridge said, as he gestured to Sophie and begun typing on his laptop terminal.

"Once we delved into the Vinali culture," Sophie stated, "We were able to discover that twenty three other planetary races have DNA backgrounds that link them to the Vinali. Of those, only twelve have members that are enlisted S.P.D. personnel."

"Good work," Ellie said, with a smile. "Were you able to narrow the list anymore?"

"The spy left behind some clues," Quinn said, "They obviously had access to the containment room and Boom's old quarters, he used when he was Kat's gadget tester. Now, only certain top-level S.P.D. personnel have those codes."

"So the list has to be smaller than twelve possible races," Ellie surmised.

"We were able to narrow it to six," Sophie said, bringing another smile to Ellie's face.

"That's great," Ellie responded.

"Well, the margin for error is huge," Bridge said. "I mean, for all we know the spy could have snuck into S.P.D. and stole any codes they needed to access our systems and the containment room."

"Given our security measures, though, we're pretty sure it was an inside job," Quinn said, trying to stay positive.

"We were able to eliminate one more race from that list," Sophie said, nodding to Bridge.

He spun his laptop around showing Ellie the data on the alien species that had ties to the Vinali. One of them was blinking.

"The Kayoie," Ellie read.

"Yep," Bridge spoke. "The only member of the Kayoie in S.P.D. that's stationed on Earth is Niyako, our communications specialist. During the last Containment breach, she was on-duty in the Command Center. Several people saw her, including Kat."

"So we're down to five possibilities," Sophie said.

"And we're running out of time," Quinn said. "None of the five remaining races are currently stationed on Earth since we lost the Delta Base. That means that whoever the spy is, they could be out there wreaking more havoc at another S.P.D. outpost. The spy's been quiet lately but we can't count on that to last forever."

"Okay," Ellie said, giving a determined nod. "So, I'll take the data on the five remaining species and input their language databases into my decoder program and we'll see if we can get any coherent matches. All languages are massive, though, given their development over centuries, so this is gonna take a while."

"I just hope we come up with some answers soon," Bridge said, with a sigh. "I hate being away from Newtech City for long given how tense things have gotten."

"The program will work as fast as it can," Ellie said. "In the meantime, you're welcome to lunch."

Twenty minutes after their strategy session, Bridge found himself seated in front of a grilled cheese sandwich. Sophie watched from across the kitchen table, as Bridge tried to peel the slices of bread apart, causing a gooey stream of cheese to flow between them. Sophie couldn't help but chuckle.

Standing near the kitchen exit, Ellie Gray watched with a smirk. Her eyes veered to the empty seat next to Bridge, where she had expected her son to be seated. Ellie had a feeling she knew where to find him. As she walked towards his room, her mind flashed back to that fateful day from her past that had been stirred up in the present.

**JUNE 2011 – Newtech City (16 Years Ago)**

"Hi, Dr. Felix," Ellie called out, carrying her two-year old son close.

She continued down the hallway inside the old S.P.D. Headquarters building. It was a one-floor shack, compared to the present-day Delta Command Base.

"Ellie Gray," Felix said, as he spotted her. "This is quite a surprise. Welcome back."

"How are things?" Ellie asked, as Felix extended a hand rubbing the cheek of Ellie's son.

"Well, I'm sure you've heard," Felix said, somberly. "It doesn't look good. We've tested so many possible donors and still nothing. I fear we're running out of time."

"That's kinda why I'm here," Ellie said, as she glanced at her son, who was playing with the necklace she wore around her neck, an anniversary gift from her husband. "I want you to test Quinn."

"For what?" Felix said, curiously.

Ellie glanced around the hallway, making sure no one else was around.

"As a possible donor," Ellie said, practically whispering.

"I don't understand why you'd take the risk," Felix said. "We don't seek donors that young, especially when the possibility for a match is unlikely."

"I know why I have to do this," Ellie said, giving Felix a desperate look. "Please, can you just perform the test?"

"All right," Felix said, with a sigh, as he led them into his small medical office.

"Have you seen Nathan around?" Ellie asked, as she laid Quinn onto the exam bed, where Felix prepared to take a blood sample.

"He's at the hospital," Felix said. "As you can imagine, he's trying to keep close to Sky."

"Of course," Ellie said. "Doctor...no matter what happens with this test, I need you to keep this visit between us."

Felix looked over at Ellie, giving her a confused look, but he nodded in agreement, as he begun to understand her situation.

**APRIL 2027 – Tokyo, Japan (Present Day)**

Ellie took a deep breath as she stepped into Quinn's bedroom and saw him sitting on his bed, with Murphy laying by his feet. The robotic patrol hound glanced up, seeing Ellie enter.

"You're not hungry?" she asked, as she sat next to her son.

"Not really," Quinn said. "You didn't your story. Feel like telling me the rest?"

Ellie took another deep breath, knowing his request was coming. She closed her eyes a bit and began to retell Quinn exactly what happened, as the past memories flooded her mind.

"_I didn't know how long we would be gone," Ellie said, answering her husband's question about her suitcase. _

"_For a mother-son outing?" Eric said, more impatiently. "That makes no sense. I deserve to know what's going on."_

"_Don't get so loud," Ellie said, nervously. "You'll wake Quinn."_

_She exited the kitchen, passed the living room where the GNN broadcast was still telling of breaking news. She peeked into Quinn's room and saw he was still fast asleep, tired out from their trip to Newtech City. She walked back into the living room and her eye caught sight of the news program. She turned up the volume, as Eric was still following her silently, waiting for answers. _

"_...it may indeed be a miracle," the news reporter, Gordon Kendrick, continued. "We have just learned that an anonymous donor has come forward. This is the day that the Tate family has hoped for these past weeks..."_

_Ellie muted the television, as she saw her husband staring at her, with his arms folded. _

"_That's where you went, isn't it? Space Patrol Delta?" Eric said. "You can't ever really leave that place can you, not even now?"_

"_Eric, it's not what you think," Ellie said. _

"_Then tell me what it is! Did you go to Newtech or not?"_

"_Yes," Ellie said, a bit annoyed at her husband's accusations. Why couldn't he just leave it all alone? "I had to."_

"_For Nathan Tate, your old friend. You've spoken to him everyday since his kid got sick," Eric said. "What more did you want?"_

"_There's a donor, so everything's fine now," Ellie said, angrily. "Just let it go."_

"_I won't let it go!" Eric said, matching her anger. "I gave up my entire life there so we could move to Tokyo, like you wanted! You said it would be a fresh start. You were leaving the military lifestyle behind for your family. Remember that? But, you've never really left. You think I haven't noticed."_

"_That's not it," Ellie said, as her anger turned to sadness. "I swear. I love it here and this is our place. I don't want to go back."_

"_Then why did you?"_

_Ellie lowered her head, shaking it from side to side, refusing to believe she could ever tell him. _

_But Ellie didn't have to say much, as Eric's mind had already begun to put the pieces together. He remembered finding the bandage on his son's arm. Once he realized the position the bandage was in on Quinn's arm, he knew what had been done to his son. He looked at Ellie. _

"_You took him there...to donate bone marrow?" Eric said slowly. "Why? He's two. Even if he was fit for that kind of procedure, why would you think he could be a match—"_

_Eric's voice trailed off, as he saw his wife's teardrops fall to the hardwood floor from her lowered head. Eric's body went cold, as he hated the thoughts that were entering his mind. _

"_Was he a match?" Eric said, desperately. _

"_Eric..." Ellie glanced up at her husband, her face flushed with watery eyes. "I—I'm sorry."_

"_No...this is—this can't be true," Eric said, as he walked into Quinn's room, catching Ellie by surprise. _

_She followed behind her husband, wondering what he was going to do. She found him standing over Quinn's bed, staring down at the exhausted child. He shook his head. _

"_They always said he looked just like you," Eric mumbled. _

_Ellie walked over, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Eric, don't—"_

_He jerked his arm away from her and exited his son's room, heading for the front door. _

"_Eric, wait," Ellie called out, as he opened the door. "Just let me explain."_

_Eric paused for a moment, but as he felt the uncontrollable urge to break down, he left, closing the door. Ellie prayed for him to slam the door. At least it would help get his anger out. He didn't slam it. He closed the door quietly, refusing to disturb the sleeping child._

A tear fell from Ellie's eye as she leaned her head on Quinn's shoulder.

"That was it?" Quinn said, quietly, looking surprised.

"Yeah," Ellie responded. "He never came back. He never sent for his things. I woke up the next morning and found his key card by the door. He must have slid it underneath. I never heard from him again. Divorce papers were delivered about a month later."

"Wow," Quinn said in a hushed tone.

He put a comforting arm around his mother, as she wiped her tears.

* * *

About an hour later, Bridge & Sophie walked along the street outside the Gray home, as Murphy trotted a few feet ahead of them. 

"It's so quiet here," Sophie said, as she bent over and picked up a dandelion from the grass.

"Kinda eerie," Bridge said, with a smirk. "I prefer the sirens of Newtech City myself."

"Well, I'm sure we'll hear them again," Sophie said, sighing. "Probably too soon."

Bridge stopped, as he noticed Sophie seemed off about something.

"What do you mean? You worried about everyone back home?"

"Just worried about the future, I guess," Sophie said.

"The Pink Ranger thing again?" Bridge said.

"It's not just that," Sophie said. "I think it's the silence. It's never a good thing. I mean it's really here, but look at Ellie Gray. She's been in turmoil for years. I just think the silence is masking something back home. It always is."

Bridge tilted his head a bit. Murphy trotted over to Sophie and rubbed his head against her leg.

"Are we really talking about Ellie Gray here?"

"What does that mean?" Sophie said, smirking at him.

"You were forced to keep quiet for years about who you were. You know all about inner turmoil," Bridge said. "Maybe all of this is bringing back those feelings."

"Your psychic powers don't work on me, Carson," Sophie said. "...but, I guess you might have a point. I wasn't forced though. Dr. Jiang just suggested I keep quiet, lay low. I was so young...or at least my programming was. I didn't know what else I could do."

"Dr. Jiang was wrong," Bridge said. "You overcame it."

"But seeing him there, back in Newtech City, he barely even acknowledged me. I mean, it was like he didn't remember who I was," Sophie said. "I guess his advice worked too well. I made my cyborg past so invisible that he forgot who I was."

"What can I say?" Bridge said, sadly, as he walked over to Sophie. "He's really really old!"

Sophie couldn't help but chuckle. Bridge placed a helpful hand on her shoulder.

"You're unforgettable," Bridge said, with a smile. "And no doctor can ever change that."

Even as the words escaped his mouth, Bridge started to have an epiphany. He couldn't believe it had never occurred to him before.

"Thanks Bridge," Sophie said, as she began to notice his facial expression change from a grin to a troubled stare. "What? Bridge, what is it?"

"The doctor!" Bridge shouted, as he sprinted back to the Gray house.

After sharing a confused look, Sophie and Murphy ran off after him.

* * *

"So, after all these years, why did you keep his name?" Quinn asked his mother, as they stood near his desk, once again looking at their family photo. 

"I loved Eric," Ellie said. "Nathan and I made a huge mistake, but it gave me the greatest gift. I could never regret you and I hoped that one day Eric wouldn't regret my past either. So, I tried to show him that I till cared, that I would always care. I made life-changing decisions as Ellie Gray...I can't be anyone else."

"So, I saved Sky's life?" Quinn said, curiously.

"It was a long time ago," Ellie said. "Besides me and Felix, no one ever found out who the anonymous marrow donor was. I'm surprised, because it took a series of visits to Newtech to get everything he needed for Sky's transfusion. I'm just glad you and Sky both grew up to forget the whole ordeal. It's not something a kid should have to go through."

"Did Nathan find out?"

"No," Ellie said. "I never told him. It wasn't about him. It was just something that I had to do, because if Sky died then that would have changed everything. I had the power to do something and a part of me felt some vindication for my sin that day, even if it cost me my husband."

"You're amazing, mom," Quinn said, with a hug.

"Not amazing," Ellie said, as she turned serious once again. "You know, if you want to change your name...legally, to Tate, I won't be offended."

Quinn took a deep breath, as he glanced back at the picture of his mother and stepfather.

"I don't think so," Quinn said. "I've made a lot of decisions...and mistakes myself as Quinn Gray and that's who I am and who I'll always be."

Ellie felt the pride in her swell, as she grabbed her son close for another hug. As they embraced, Murphy came running into the room, barking loudly. Quinn looked over at him.

"What is it?" Ellie wondered.

"I think something's up," Quinn said, troubled, as he & his mother followed Murphy into her office.

Inside the office, Sophie stood watching Bridge as his hands glided across his laptop computer console. It was hard to believe he had ever had problems with his cybernetic hand, as it seemed to be moving perfectly fine these days.

"What's going on?" Ellie asked Sophie, who shrugged her shoulders.

"I think I know who our spy is!" Bridge said, surprising them all. "I don't know why I didn't think of it before. It makes so much sense."

Bridge called up a security program on his laptop. As he keyed in dates and camera frequencies, four separate feeds were shown on the screen. Bridge's eyes lit up.

"It's true," Bridge said, as the image of Doctor Shivan Sevarus was shown walking in the corridors of the Delta Command Base. "It's Doctor Sevarus."

"What?" Quinn said, shocked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Bridge said. "Sophie and I were talking and she mentioned a doctor and it all clicked in my head! Dr. Sevarus had the access to Boom's quarters and the Containment Room and look!"

Bridge pointed to the security video feeds.

"He was picked up on security feeds inside the base near the containment room on the dates it was breached," Bridge explained. "And he's Divalian, one of the races that was part of colonizing Vinali."

"That's still not hard evidence," Sophie said. "I mean, Dr. Sevarus doesn't know anything about tampering with security cameras and having access to the containment room is useless if you don't have the proper codes to release the criminals."

"And why would he?" Quinn wondered.

"I don't know, but I'm certain this is it," Bridge said. "The reason that the spy has been so quiet is because he's on Sirius!"

"If Bridge's right, then Commander Cruger and his family could be in danger," Quinn said. "We need to find more proof."

"Well, I think that might be a lot easier now," Ellie said, as she slid into the chair behind her desk and began pulling up her language decoder program. "If the doctor is guilty, then he must have used an old style Divalian dialect to create the coded message. I'm narrowing the program's algorithm to scan only the Divalian language database. This won't take long now that we know what we're looking for."

* * *

Three hours later, the S.P.D. shuttlecraft was all packed, prepped and ready for take-off. Sophie and Bridge said their good-byes to Ellie and boarded. 

"Thanks for all your help," Quinn said. "Finally decoding that message is a big step in catching this spy, especially if it's Doctor Sevarus."

"I'm glad I could help," Ellie said. "I guess Eric was right. I never really can leave S.P.D. behind for long."

"I'm grateful for that," Quinn said. "We couldn't have done it without you."

"You can do anything, Quinn," Ellie said, as she hugged him. "Don't forget that."

Bridge peeked his head out the shuttle.

"Quinn, we gotta go. We need to get this evidence to Kat and warn Doggie," Bridge said.

"I'm coming," Quinn said. "Gotta go, mom."

"Good luck, with everything," Ellie said, with a smile. "And don't hesitate to call if you need me."

"I won't," Quinn said, as he approached the shuttle. "Come on, Murphy!"

The robotic patrol hound sprinted into the shuttle, followed by Quinn, who gave his mother a quick wave, before closing the doors.

Ellie watched as the shuttle took off. She walked back towards her home and entered. Just before she closed her door, she took a deep breath and then opened it widely, leaving it that way, as she sat down in her living room and reached for the remote control. For Ellie Gray, the silence had finally ended.

TO BE CONTINUED (next month) IN...

**"Kindred"**  
_Barrett prepares to launch his invasion plan. Bridge, Quinn &  
Sophie return with damning proof of Sevarus' guilt, but it may  
be too too late for those on Sirius, as Sam begins to catch onto  
Sevarus' treachery. Z & Piggy reach an impasse. Syd finds a safe  
place for Anna. Cruger struggles to face Benaag in the present.  
Trapped in solitary confinement, Sky reaches out for help the  
only way he can, as Cash finds himself on Morgana's hit list._

check out my profile for more information on my absence..._  
_


	17. Kindred

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"KINDRED"**

The soul is an intricate part of every evolved being in the galaxy. It is tied to the spirit, emotion and morality of an individual. It is also a delicate facet of life, subject to influence, corruption and fear. It is one's soul that draws them close to others, in search of connection. These connections can be grounded in love, family, shared interests or even hatred. The soul burns for these connections. From siblings to parents, friends to enemies, we all reach out beyond ourselves so that we are never alone. No matter what direction the soul veers toward, the connections are still present. Across the stars, separated by fate, kindred spirits will find their match.

For Sam Hastings, making connections had never been his priority. So many had been torn away from him, beginning with his own mother. Her death had not only left Sam without a family, but also without security. Since then, he craved that secured feeling of love, hope and family. He opened himself up to another woman and believed that he had found that security. Z Delgado introduced him to Space Patrol Delta and that became his home, his connection to the universe. But Sam had felt betrayed by her. While not old enough to be a mother figure, Sam saw Z as an older sister, and one who would never lie to him the way she had. He had broken that connection by choice. It was a choice that was never far from his mind, thanks to the counsel of Doggie Cruger.

The Crugers. They had picked up that thread of family and wove it around him like a thick blanket. They accepted him as if they were his parents despite being in the presence of their own newborns. These feelings had crept up in Sam without him realizing. But, they were there and in his soul he knew that he had to help them in any way he could. His fears for the fate of Doggie Cruger were heightened, almost as much as the growing suspicion in his heart, with regards to Dr. Shivan Sevarus.

Sam was unsettled by the needle prick he found on Officer Hawk after his death. Sam was no doctor, but injecting blue liquids into someone's neck made him uncomfortable. He needed to tell his thoughts to someone who would understand and that led him to Isinia Cruger.

Sam entered Isinia's room and saw the Sirian female lying on her bed. She had been extremely weak ever since arriving on Sirius. Even after the birth of her twins, she wasn't moving very much. As Sam passed the crib, he wasn't surprised. The two Sirian pups seemed to be growing faster by the hour. Anubis Jr. and Isobel were fast asleep. As Sam got closer to Isinia's bed, he wondered if the same was true of her. But, as he got closer, he saw her head tilt in his direction and her eyes flutter open.

"Hey," Isnia said.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Sam said, nervously.

"I wasn't asleep," Isinia said, with a chuckle. "Just resting my eyes, waiting for the next feeding, which should be soon. Is something wrong?"

Isinia had always been a great judge of character and she could tell from Sam's demeanor that he was troubled, even more so than he usually appeared to her.

"Um, Officer Hawk…he died," Sam said, trying to find the words he needed to confide in Isinia, a tough task for a young man who found it hard to trust anyone.

"Shivan told me," Isinia said.

Sam took a deep breath upon hearing Dr. Sevarus' name. He knew that Sevarus had been friends with Doggie Cruger since they attended the S.P.D. Academy together. Throwing accusations without proof would be tough. It was then that he thought back to his suspicions about Piggy. Telling Bridge was the best thing he could have done. He knew telling Isinia about Sevarus might also be the right course of action.

"It's just—"

"How are we all doing?" Sevarus spoke, entering the room behind them.

"Okay," Isinia said, with a pleasant nod. "I think Sam's still upset over Officer Hawk."

Sam couldn't bring his eyes to look at Dr. Sevarus, so he gazed at the floor instead.

"It's a tough loss for us all," Sevarus said, calmly. "Aaron was a good man. And, we still have Anubis to worry about as well."

"I'm sure he'll return soon," Isinia said, hopefully.

"I hope so," Sam said, his voice low, eager for Cruger's return.

The sooner the danger had subsided out there, the sooner Doggie could be inside, facing what Sam quickly believed was another grave danger.

Almost a mile away from the bunker, Benaag stood over Cruger's body. With one foot planted on Cruger's wrist, pinning it to the hard, burned ground, Benaag kept Cruger down. If he moved, his wrist would be useless in the battle ahead that he knew he must win.

"Ironic, isn't it?" Benaag said, looking down on Anubis with his glowing eyes. "Your final loss will come on the soil that produced your first great failure."

"You haven't won yet, Benaag," Cruger said. "Why did you attack my pilot?"

"He was in the way," Benaag said, with a cackle of laughter. "Much like your wife was all those years ago!"

Cruger growled, reaching up with his free hand to swipe at Benaag, who grabbed a hold of Cruger's other wrist with his claw-like appendage. As he put pressure on Cruger's wrists, the Sirian knew that Benaag had the power to snap them in an instant. As his eyes veered to his Shadow Saber on the ground nearby, Cruger saw its importance in a new light. Freeing himself would be the only thing standing between life or death.

* * *

On Fenix Prime, things were dark for Sky Tate. His cell inside solitary confinement was completely devoid of light. As he banged on the cell door, he could feel his own sanity slipping away. His enemies had come here with plans to destroy him. He had to get free. He had to make the humans inside that prison understand the danger that lurked within the walls.

"Help!" Sky yelled, as he continued to bang on the door. "Someone! Listen to me! There are escaped alien criminals in the prison! Morgana! Giganus! Slate, Sinuku, Wootox! They are extremely dangerous! You have to let me explain!"

At that moment the small rectangular observation door at the top of the cell's steel entry way opened. The light caught Sky's eyes off-guard. He squinted to halt the glare. But when he heard her wild laughter, he opened his eyes completely to see her.

"Morgana!" Sky yelled.

"What's with all the yelling?" she said. "No one can hear you. I checked. They don't use this wing of solitary confinement much. I guess you really are a bad boy!"

"What are you doing out of containment?" Sky sneered.

Morgana smiled wildly. "Oh, a little of this, a little of that. Right now, I'm trying to clean up your mess. You know, killing Officer Sonsky isn't the way to take out your frustrations. Honestly, you must learn to control your anger."

"I didn't kill anyone!" Sky yelled.

"You killed Omallix," Morgana said, sarcastically. "Thanks, by the way! I would have really loved to have thanked him for taking out Gruumm, but now I'll never get the chance, thanks to you!"

"Morgana, I don't know how you got out of confinement, but you're going back! All of you are!"

"Oh, I don't think so," Morgana said, with a laugh. "Besides, there's no Delta Command Base left to hold us!"

"What are you talking about?" Sky said, worried for his friends on Earth. "What happened?"

Morgana simply laughed and shut the door, listening happily to Sky's tormented strikes on the hard metal door.

"What happened?!" Sky yelled, as he pounded on the door. "What happened to them?!"

As Sky felt his strength declining, he laid his head against the door, as he slid to the floor, refusing to give up. He continued to hit the door, even if his thrusts had been reduced to taps on it.

"What happened to them?" Sky whispered.

* * *

On Earth, there was still a long road ahead for Sydney Drew. As the passenger door of her white Volkswagen beetle closed, she watched Z Delgado exit. The Yellow Ranger leaned in the passenger window, looking at Syd.

"You don't have much time," Z said. "Are you sure you should be going back to Lincoln Grove?"

"I have to," Syd said, as she glanced in the back seat at Anna, who then maneuvered her narrow body into the front seat, by climbing across it.

Syd handed Z the cell phone she had gotten from Anna.

"Just make sure Kat gets that," Syd said. "Those pictures that Mia emailed to Anna are pretty blurred."

"If anyone can clear this mess up, it's Kat," Z said. She looked at Anna. "Anna, it was nice meeting you."

Anna extended a hand, shaking Z's.

"Nice to meet you too, Z," Anna said with a smile.

"Good luck," Syd said. "Sorry I couldn't drop you off closer."

"It's no biggie," Z said. "I'm finally allowed to show that I'm alive so I'm looking forward to the walk. You're the one who needs the luck."

After rolling up Anna's window, Syd pulled off, headed back in the direction she had just come from. Z turned towards her destination and started walking. As she passed the "Newtech City Limits" sign, she tapped it with a smile. Inside the car, Anna appeared a bit troubled.

"I thought you said it was dangerous back at the group home," she said to Syd. "Why are we going back there?"

"I'm not taking you back to the group home," Syd said, keeping her eyes on the road. "I'm taking you somewhere else, somewhere you'll be safe."

"But Syren—I mean Syd," Anna said, correcting herself. "Everyone's going to be looking for me there."

"Haven't you ever heard the saying that the best way to hide is in plain sight?" Syd said, with a smile. "Trust me. I know Lincoln Grove very well and I know the perfect place to keep you safe. I promise."

* * *

"Well…I'm waiting for an answer, cadets," Kat said, as she stood in Central Command with her arms folded, standing in front of B-Squad.

For the last ten minutes, Kat had asked them multiple questions about why they were on the east side of Newtech City, why they were engaging Prax and Blaze and who authorized them to do so. B-Squad knew they were on the spot, as they stood nervously, with their heads lowered from Kat's angry gaze. The only other beings in Command Central were Ghiren and Niyako and neither of the technicians were aware of the answers to Kat's questions.

Boom was dying to spill his guts. Kat saw his leg nervously shaking a bit. She was waiting for her friend to crack, but he never did. It was killing him not to, but he sided with his team and stayed strong. Part of Kat was proud to see it. After all, there was only one of them who needed to speak up and Duc Sato took a deep breath and looked up at Kat.

"It's my fault, Commander," Duc said. "B-Squad was on the east side because I wanted to go there. They wouldn't let me go alone."

"That part of town is not in your patrol jurisdiction," Kat said, seriously.

"I know, ma'am. It's just—Blaze killed my parents," Duc said.

"You're saying that sixteen years ago a cyborg killed your mother and father? I heard the alien who killed them was already captured," Kat said, looking surprised.

"There was a mix-up," Duc said. "Blaze is the real killer. He confessed. I had no idea Prax would use it as a trap to lure us out like that."

"How do you even know about Prax?" Kat asked.

The members of B-Squad were a little surprised that Kat knew who Prax was.

"He'd been sending me messages claiming to know who the real murderer was. I had to check it out, Commander," Duc said, sadly. "I had to…for my family."

"You still had no authorization for this course of action," Kat said. "Why didn't you come to me and tell me what was going on?"

This time, she glared at Boom.

"We—we wanted to," Boom said, stammering.

"I asked them to keep quiet," Duc said. "This entire situation was caused by me. I should have come to you, I know. Boom said it…a lot. But, Prax said he'd disappear if S.P.D. got involved. I couldn't take the chance. I couldn't trust that he wouldn't leave without telling me."

"You can't trust Prax at all!" Kat said, upset at B-Squad's folly. "He's a criminal."

"We weren't sure of that," Meg said, defending her friend. "Duc needed to know the truth."

"Plus, if I told you about the messages and my meeting with Prax, then you would have known that I wasn't really sick the day that I missed morning classes the other week," Duc said.

"So you were trying to cover your butt," Kat said, angrily.

"Look, Commander, if you want to demote me back to D-Squad or even E-Squad, or throw me out completely, I understand," Duc said. "But, I had to do this my way. This was about my parents. I owed it to them to bring their killer to justice. The honor of my family was at stake."

"You're an S.P.D. cadet and a Power Ranger," Kat said, as she walked closer to him, staring straight into his eyes. "You don't get to do things your way! You don't keep secrets from your commanding officer!"

Duc's eyes faltered a bit, before refocusing on Kat's, showing her that he would accept his fate.

"And now that you've found out who killed your parents…you're not getting off that easy," Kat said. "I'm not going to toss you out of the Academy so you can continue this vendetta and get yourself killed without S.P.D. to back you up."

Duc wanted to smile, but instead he took a prideful breath and let his frown disappear.

"For not informing me of what's been going on around here, I'm putting formal reprimands in all of your records," Kat said. "They will include my understanding that this was a personal matter for Cadet Sato, but it doesn't excuse what's happened."

Kat walked back towards her desk and then looked back at B-Squad.

"The zords have gotten dusty," Kat said. "I think the four of you will find all of your free time occupied in the underground zord bay for the next two months, making sure that I can see my reflection in those zords. All of those zords – the Delta Runners, the S.W.A.T. Flyers and the Omegamax Cycle."

Looks of disappointment ran across the faces of B-Squad, as they accepted their fate. Then, Duc frowned.

"But, what about Blaze and Prax?" Duc inquired. "They're still out there."

"Yeah," Casey chimed in. "You pulled us back. Why? They should have been arrested for at least assaulting S.P.D. personnel, not to mention murder."

"The fact that Blaze is a cyborg, not an alien, makes S.P.D. jurisdiction questionable in the murder case," Kat said, somberly. "I'm sorry. As for Prax, he's a major part of an on-going investigation that I can't compromise at the moment."

Duc sighed, upset that he would be unable to go after Blaze. Then, the doors to Command Central slid open. Bridge, Sophie, Quinn and Murphy came walking in.

"You're back," Kat said, surprised. "That was a fast trip."

"Sorry to interrupt," Bridge said, as he handed Kat an LCD pad. "But, we figured out the message…and the identity of the traitor who sent it. You're not gonna like this."

Kat looked over all of the evidence and the name of the traitor.

"Dr. Sevarus!"

"Yep," Quinn said. "We're certain of it."

"We need to contact Commander Cruger immediately," Sophie said. "His family could be in serious trouble."

Kat let out a deep sigh, as she looked up at the Rangers.

"I'm not sure that's even possible," she said, looking troubled.

* * *

Officer Stephens shuffled Cash Donovan into the warden's office, where Cash spotted Alton Gaines staring out his large observation window on the top floor of the Myers Detention Center. From there, he could see down on the prison cafeteria, the largest communal area at Myers.

"Warden," Cash called out, in a raspy voice.

Gaines turned to see Cash rubbing his neck a bit. Gaines walked over to him, lifting his chin to look at the dark bruises there.

"That looks pretty bad," Gaines said. "I don't have any regrets about authorizing Tate's move to solitary confinement. That's for sure. What can I do for you Mr. Donovan?"

"That's just it," Cash said, not caring about the pain in his throat. "Sky wasn't himself. Something weird happened to him. He doesn't deserve to be in solitary."

"The hell he doesn't!" Gaines said, as he took a seat at his desk. "He killed Officer Sonsky while being transferred there!"

"What?" Cash said, looking shocked. "Sky didn't—he couldn't."

"This is the same prisoner who attacked you in your cell. You can't be defending him," Gaines said. "Besides, he was the only one present when Sonsky was killed and his prints were on the knife. If Officer Morgan hadn't shown up with her tazer, he might have escaped!"

Cash's mind raced, as he heard what Gaines was saying.

"It's Officer Morgan! She must have stabbed Sonsky," Cash said. "I saw her passing the cellblock with a kitchen knife a while after Sky got taken to solitary. It's her!"

"Where's your proof? My trust in Officer Morgan isn't in doubt here," Gaines said. "However, Sky Tate has been a problem ever since he showed up on Fenix Prime. Solitary confinement is the best place for scum like him and if you keep up with these accusations then I may be forced to send you there as well since you enjoy his company so much!"

Cash was fuming, as he shook his head, unable to believe that Gaines couldn't see the truth.

"Take him back to his cell," Gaines ordered.

Officer Stephens grabbed a hold of Cash's arm and began leading him to the doorway, where Cash turned back to Gaines for a moment.

"There's more going on around here. I know it," Cash said, angrily.

The guard pulled Cash out of the warden's office. As the door closed, Gaines let out a deep sigh.

"You have no idea," Gaines said, under his breath.

* * *

Back on Earth, Piggy had been walking for several miles. His legs had grown tired, but he didn't want to stop. He held a little tighter to the black walking cane in his hand and trudged forward. He was heading out of this town and he had no plans to return to Newtech City anytime soon. He certainly wasn't going to wait for Commander Manx to arrest him. He knew that if he ran into anyone from Space Patrol Delta it would be too soon. As he approached the "Now Leaving Newtech City" sign, he took a deep breath.

Then, up ahead he saw an approaching figure that made him stop in his tracks.

"You have GOT to be kidding me!" Piggy stomped his foot on the hard concrete, as Z Delgado approached.

"Running away, Piggy?" Z said, as she got closer. "Why am I not surprised?"

"You know what…I don't have to talk to you," Piggy said, as he tried to continue walking.

"Too late," Z said. "In fact, it's too late for a lot of things."

"Oh, here we go," Piggy said, under his breath.

"What's wrong Piggy? You don't like when I bring up the sleazy things you've done? It's kinda hard to face the future when you can't face the present," Z said, angrily.

"Don't give me that crap!" Piggy said, stopping in his tracks.

He turned to Z and saw her standing, with her hands on her hips. He shook his head as he walked back towards her, pointing at her face.

"You have no right to criticize me or the things I've done!" Piggy yelled. "Especially when you're just as bad as I am!"

Z looked confused.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You set me up! You pretended to be dead so you and your S.P.D. buddies could purposely drive me insane!" Piggy yelled. "That's not exactly upstanding behavior. If you ask me, you're the one who should be arrested!"

Z sneered, as she heard Piggy's angry words.

* * *

Back on Sirius, Sam sat on his bed, staring at the closed door that connected his room to Isinia's. He was upset that Dr. Sevarus had rushed him out of there, claiming that Isinia needed her rest. Sam shook his head, not believing Sevarus. Sam stood up and sighed. He couldn't let Dr. Sevarus' behavior get to him. After all, he wasn't sure that the doctor had done anything wrong. Perhaps the needle used on Hawk was supposed to help him get better, not worse. Sam tried to clear his head, but resigned himself to the fact that he would never be sure if he didn't find out the answer.

He walked over to the metal door separating the rooms. He heard Sevarus' footsteps in there with Isinia. With the wave of his hand, Sam teleported himself across the bunker, into the room where Hawk had died. Sam was saddened as he saw the white sheet covering Hawk's body on the bed. However, he didn't have time to think about Hawk. His thoughts were on the safety of Mrs. Cruger and her pups. He walked over to the tray next to Hawk's bed and began his search for the syringe.

Sam didn't know exactly what he would do with the needle when he found it, but he knew that it was evidence that could prove Sevarus' innocence…or his guilt. He searched all over but found nothing. Then, he saw Sevarus' black medical bag. He began to rifle through it when he heard footsteps approaching. Sam quickly crawled underneath the bed, as the doors opened.

Sam watched Sevarus' feet shuffle in, quickly closing the door behind him. Sam watched as Sevarus walked around the bed, to the spot right next to where Sam was hiding. Sam raised his hand, about to teleport himself away, when he heard Sevarus whispering.

"Sir, I don't think you understand the bind you're putting me in," Sevarus whispered into the communications device in his hand. "I can't carry out your orders."

"You will carry out my orders, Shivan!"

"But, sir—"

"No 'buts'!" the voice on the other end spoke impatiently. "Time is running out. If you don't eliminate the others on Sirius, I will make sure that Benaag eliminates you!"

Sam didn't move an inch as silence filled the room for several tense moments. He didn't recognize the voice Sevarus was speaking to, but he was becoming more scared by the second.

"Do you understand me Sevarus?"

"…Yes sir," Sevarus said, with a nervous sigh. "I will carry out your orders…immediately."

Sam's eyes grew wide upon hearing that. He heard several beeps, as Sevarus deactivated the device. Sam heard creaking as the Divalian doctor leaned against Hawk's bed. Sam slowly slid to the other side of the floor, as Sevarus stood back up straight. The shifting of his weight from the bed caused Hawk's body to move. His right arm fell over the side of the bed, startling Sam. He covered his mouth to prevent a gasp. Sam stared at Hawk's dangling hand, with his eyes wide. Sevarus walked slowly towards the door and exited the room, never noticing.

Sam uncovered his mouth and took a deep breath. His eyes, however, found it hard to leave Hawk's arm. He was sure now that Hawk had been killed by Sevarus. It was a fate that he didn't deserve, none of them did. At that moment, he noticed something scribbled on Hawk's hand. It was a sequence of numbers. Sam thought back to his conversation with Hawk inside the shuttle. Sam smiled.

"The sweet spot," he said, as he realized Hawk must have found the frequency to get a call off of Sirius.

Sam made a mental note of the six digit frequency and waved his hands, teleporting out of the room.

* * *

"Prax, just sign for the package and get it over here," Barrett Van Tigue spoke calmly. "It won't matter that they have your signature. We're going forward soon. That's why I need that package. Just get it here as fast as you can."

Barrett Van Tigue ended the call, a bit annoyed that Prax had second thoughts about anything Barrett had instructed him to do. He wasn't in the mood for any of his allies to begin questioning him.

He walked back over to the window looking out over the assembly line inside his factory, deep on the east side of Newtech City. On the outside, it appeared abandoned, but inside it was a monument to Barrett Van Tigue's growing plot against Newtech City and Space Patrol Delta. He smiled as he looked at the completed Delta X Series robots.

Then, his cell phone rang again. He rolled his eyes and answered, without checking to see who was calling..

"Prax, listen to me—"

Barrett's demeanor completely changed when he heard the voice of the caller.

"Barrett?" Lady Vishus spoke. "Is there a problem with Prax?"

"Uh, no. It's nothing," Barrett said. "Are you back from Lincoln Grove?"

"No!" Vishus said, angrily. "We have a problem."

"What? Did you pick up our guest?"

"I tried!" Vishus said, through gritted teeth. "But, I think someone beat me to the punch."

"How's that possible?" Barrett said. "We orchestrated that fake adoption perfectly."

"I don't know, but she's gone."

"What about the cell?" Barrett asked.

"I searched the entire room while that twit Mrs. Bradshaw was calling the local authorities," Vishus explained. "It's not here either."

"Well find her! She must still have it," Barrett said, more annoyed. "We can't afford to have that phone fall into the wrong hands, before we see what's on it. I've done too much to have my plans go up in smoke now!"

"I know that, Barrett," Vishus said. "I'll get it."

"Once you learn anything, you call me!"

"Of course," Vishus said, as she hung up the call and began her search.

Inside his small factory office, Barrett slammed his cell phone shut, almost throwing it across the room. But, that was an act of anger he couldn't afford. He had to stay connected to his employees, especially now. He just hoped that Anna Storm would prove to be a small complication that could be easily taken care of.

* * *

In Lincoln Grove, the sound of an elegant doorbell rang throughout the large white house near the center of the town. A blonde woman descended the staircase at a brisk pace. She walked over to the door and opened it. Upon seeing the visitor, she almost fainted.

"Sydney!"

Syd stood as straight as she could, hoping to keep perfect posture as she looked into the woman's eyes. They were about the same height and over the years many had mistaken them for sisters. It was always a compliment that the elder one loved receiving.

"Hi mom," Syd said, with a smile.

Syd walked over the threshold, as her mother stood shocked to see her daughter's arrival. With one hand touching her chest, she blinked repeatedly. Syd didn't allow the front door to close.

"I've been worried sick," Shannon Drew spoke. "Do you realize that you've had everyone thinking you were dead? You disappeared. What happened?"

"It's a really long story," Syd said, looking impatient. "One that I can't get into right now."

"Well, you have to!" Shannon said, upset. "I'm your mother. I've had to deal with all of these questions. Your friends—Bridge, Sky—they called here looking for you months ago. Some girl named Z Delgado sent your things. I had no clue what to do with them."

"You've got the space," Syd said, waving her hand around the large house. "I'm sure you found a spot."

"That's not the point!" Shannon said.

"Look, all I can tell you is that I've been working," Syd said.

"Working? For S.P.D.? Then, why were your friends looking for you?"

"Because…they kinda didn't know," Syd said, trying not to cross the lines of her undercover position. "That was like a month ago. I'm fine. See?"

"I guess that's why Commander Cruger called, advising us not to call the police. But, it doesn't change the fact that you had me and your father, and Mitch, worried."

"Is Mitch here?" Syd asked, glancing around.

"No," Shannon replied. "He's working."

She knew her mother never bothered with a live-in housekeeper. As a teacher, Shannon took great pride in her image. Being the perfect hostess was something she never neglected. Therefore, her house had to be kept as perfect as possible and there was only one person who could ensure that. Syd's stepfather, Mitchell Drew, always knew when to leave his wife to her work, at school and at home.

Syd said. "Okay, I need a favor."

"What do you mean?" her mother asked, confused.

Syd looked to the doorway and sighed.

"Anna," she called out.

The dark-haired girl peeked around the doorway. She had been standing on the porch outside the entire time. Syd motioned for her to come in and then she closed the door.

"Mom, this is Anna," Syd said. "She needs a place to stay."

Shannon Drew was once again sure she was about to faint. Her daughter had been missing for over a month. She should have been overjoyed at this reunion, but upon the sight of the young girl with Syd, she was once again worried about what her daughter could have gotten herself into.

* * *

Inside his office, Alton Gaines waited for the arrival of the soul he had summoned to his office. Finally, he heard a knock.

"Come in," he shouted.

The thin steel doors slid open and Gaines saw Officer Morgan enter. She was clad in her uniform and matching baseball cap. She sauntered over to his desk with her hands folded behind her back.

"You wanted to see me, Warden?" she asked.

"Of course I did!" Gaines said, angrily. "I've got prisoners getting more restless by the second, thanks to all of the upheaval around here. Plus, people are starting to ask questions. Do you know how many communications I've had to divert from people looking to talk to Tate? And now, my top security officer is dead!"

Morgana stared at Gaines, as he finished his tirade by pounding his fists on his desk. Once he was done, she walked up to the desk and leaned across it, staring into his eyes. She unclasped her hands. With one swift thrust, she pushed Gaines backwards. The aging man fell into his chair. Morgana sneered.

"First of all, I don't answer to you! We both work for Cali and I plan to carry out my orders. Secondly, Sonsky had to go! He was starting to get in my way and his death helps cement Sky as a murderer in the eyes of everyone in this prison. They all saw the conflicts between the two of them," Morgana explained. "My plan is working perfectly. So, unless you want to join Sonsky in a body bag, I suggest you watch who you're talking to."

At that point Gaines showed no fear. He took a breath for the first time since Morgana had shoved him.

"It's not me you have to worry about," Gaines said, stone-faced.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You slipped up. Donovan saw you with the knife," Gaines said, "You got sloppy."

Morgana let out a deep sigh, as she rolled her eyes.

"So, Cash Donovan got nosy," Morgana said, "He's a minor roadblock and the least of my concern. If he can't keep his mouth shut, I'll just have to make sure he doesn't have the chance to open it in public again."

Morgana headed for the doors, already formulating a plan of action in her head. As the doors slid open in front of her, she turned back to Gaines and tipped her hat.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Warden."

Once Morgana was gone, Gaines frowned, wondering if the rewards of dealing with the Galactic Council President were worth the price.

* * *

"Still nothing," Niyako called out from the communications station inside Command Central on Earth.

She had been trying for the last ten minutes to get a message through to Sirius. Leaning on her desk, Kat let out a sigh. She looked over to Bridge.

"We think some of our communications buoys were destroyed by a rogue asteroid that broke apart near Sirius," Kat explained.

"I still don't understand," B-Squad Cadet Boom spoke up, unable to push away his curiosity. "Dr. Sevarus is really the traitor?"

Bridge nodded his head.

"I'm afraid it's true," Bridge stated.

"We were finally able to decode the message he sent from your old room," Quinn said, looking at Boom. "The Divalian dialect matched perfectly. He's the only Divalian stationed here…or at least he was."

Kat shook her head, as she glanced at the LCD pad in her hand, which showed the text of Sevarus' message. Kat began reading:

**Everything is going according to your plans.  
The containment code works perfectly.  
Not sure how long I can stay off their radar.  
If I neglect my work, they may get suspicious.  
I may have to return to Galaxy Command, as you promised.**

She silently cursed herself for trusting the Divalian doctor. She knew that Doggie would also feel betrayed. After all, he & Shivan had been friends for decades.

"All this time, he's been playing us," Quinn said.

A silent anger fell over the room, as they all processed the facts. The inevitable happened, as it usually did in cases like this. They all began to silently recollect every encounter they had with Dr. Sevarus, wondering if they had somehow helped him in his spying. It was at that point that Duc Sato's entire body went cold.

"Oh no," he muttered.

All eyes fell on him once again.

"Duc, what is it?" Kat asked aloud.

"I think I might have seen something," Duc said. "The morning that I skipped classes to meet with Prax, I…saw Dr. Sevarus near Boom's old room. It was the same day you & Dr. Jensen found the computer terminal."

"What?" Quinn said, confused as to who Prax was and what Duc had to do with him.

"You saw him?" Sophie said to Duc, looking disturbed. "Why didn't you say something when we were investigating?"

"Because…that morning, I was trying to catch up to B-Squad. I saw Sevarus and I ducked around a corner in the old base. He didn't see me. I had lied to Kat about being sick so I could miss class. If Dr. Sevarus saw me, I figured my lie would have been exposed," Duc explained.

Sighs and groans were heard throughout the room.

"Of course, if I had known he was up to something, I would have come forward," Duc said.

"We know," Meg said, quickly jumping to his defense.

"I can't believe this," Quinn said, disappointed in his old buddy. "What has been going on with you guys?"

"We'll explain it all later," Casey said to Quinn.

"Good idea. We've got other problems right now," Bridge said, impatiently. "We still have to stop Sevarus."

"If he was working against S.P.D., then how could he be working for S.P.D.?" Boom said, looking utterly confused, as he thought about the decoded message.

"It's simple. You heard the message. Someone at Galaxy Command has been trying to undermine S.P.D. Earth," Sophie surmised.

"And we have no idea who that could be…or why," Bridge said, as he looked to Kat.

After a few more tense moments of silence, Kat stood up straight and turned her head towards the communications station.

"Niyako, I need a communications link to Galaxy Command," Kat said.

"Who would you like me to patch you through to?" Niyako asked.

Kat looked at Bridge and saw him appearing nervous.

"It could be anyone," Bridge said. "If we tell them what we know, we could be warning Sevarus' boss that we're onto him."

Kat nodded.

"There's still one person there that I would trust with my life," Kat said, as she looked over to Niyako again. "Get me Representative Pheon at the Galactic Council Center."

After a quick nod, Niyako's long, pencil-like fingers pressed in the appropriate commands on her control console. Everyone inside Command Central stood nervously, waiting for an image to appear on the monitor on Kat's desk. The dog-shaped S.P.D. logo finally disappeared and the face of Pheon was visible to them all.

"Kat, this is a surprise," Pheon said, as he glanced at the background. "Hello everyone. Is this some kind of intergalactic surprise party?"

"No," Kat said, shrugging off Pheon's attempt at humor. "Pheon, we've got a huge problem and you're the only person I can trust with this information. We've discovered evidence that someone inside Galaxy Command has been purposely sabotaging S.P.D. Earth, using our chief of medicine as their pawn."

"This is highly troubling," Pheon said, as his mind raced. "…especially in light of recent developments here."

"What do you mean?" Bridge asked, looking curious.

"I can't really talk about it publicly, but tell me what you've got," Pheon said. "Whatever it is, I guarantee you that I'll look into it."

Kat smiled, as she began transmitting data through the communications link, knowing her old friend would keep his word. She just hoped that he could find the answers that eluded her and her Rangers.

* * *

At the outskirts of Newtech City, things remained heated between Piggy and Z.

"You can't be serious," Z said, furious. "You tried to kill me Piggy, and you're saying that I should be in prison?!"

"You had no right to treat me like that," Piggy said, angrily. "I did something horrible! I always do. You know that and you and your S.P.D. friends are still always trying to make me feel guilty. I've tried and tried to be what you want me to be, or didn't you notice that while you were scaring me half to death?"

"I was doing my job," Z said, her voice low and seething on the inside. She couldn't believe Piggy was talking to her like that.

"So was I," Piggy said. "If I didn't kill someone in S.P.D., then I would have been killed myself."

"That's just an excuse, Piggy!" Z yelled. "You've always had a choice between doing the right thing and the wrong thing. You knew we'd help you. You chose the wrong thing."

"So did you," Piggy said, shaking his head. "You lied to everyone. They thought you were dead, but you didn't care. You just played with my life, willingly, for weeks. I could have been in a straight-jacket somewhere and it wouldn't have made one bit of difference to you. By your logic, I guess it would have been better if I had died instead!"

"I shouldn't care about you Piggy," Z said. "You're not worth it anymore."

"You still don't get what I'm saying to you!"

"Then, help me figure it out," Z said. "I've given you every chance, every opportunity to do things on the right side of the law, but you still insist on taking the easy way out."

"You have no idea how hard my life has been since that day on the roof," Piggy said, before hitting his head with his hand. "Oh wait…you DO know! You were right there, helping to cause it all. You saw the pain I felt."

"You deserved more than pain!"

"That doesn't sound like the S.P.D. way to me," Piggy said, sneering.

Z frowned, as she stared at Piggy.

"You've been hiding behind that badge ever since that day!" Piggy said, angrily. "When I do something immoral, it's cause for punishment, but when you do it, it's all okay because you're just doing your job. Maybe I should join S.P.D. and get one of those shiny badges myself. It seems to help everyone dismiss a lot of bad behavior around here."

Z shook her head, unable to truly believe that Piggy was blaming S.P.D. for his problems and for trying to kill her. Z was quickly overcome with anger. In that moment, she was glad they weren't back on the roof of the Delta Command Base. If they were, it might have been she who was in trouble with the law.

* * *

Back on Sirius, Doggie Cruger was beginning to get angry. He had been caught off-guard by Benaag's initial attack, but he knew the situation was getting more ridiculous by the second. Doggie knew that he was stronger and smarter than his long-time foe. It was then that he realized he needed to clear his mind of the past. It was his memory of the fall of Sirius that had allowed him to be attacked.

He also needed his weapons. He wasn't naïve enough to believe he could take down Benaag without them. He had to distract his opponent long enough to make his move. As Benaag put more pressure on Cruger's limbs, the old dog growled.

"How did you get here, Benaag?" Cruger grunted. "I put you away for good."

"You thought you got rid of me," Benaag corrected. "But, it appears that you have more enemies than you think."

As Benaag chuckled, Cruger knew that he was taking great pleasure in his secrets. Cruger could smell the confidence oozing from every inch of Benaag. He knew exactly how to play into such blatant arrogance.

"You're a fool, Benaag," Cruger said on the ground, conserving his energy for a major burst. "Whoever sent you here is using you, but I would expect this kind of stupidity from the likes of you."

"You're pretty bold for someone whose life is hanging in my hands Anubis!" Benaag hissed, as he squeezed his claw tighter around Doggie's left hand.

Cruger moaned in pain, but refused to give up. He could tell he was beginning to get to his enemy.

"How does it feel to know you'll be back in containment before the sun sets?" Cruger spoke, angrily.

"More hollow words from the mighty Cruger!" Benaag said, annoyed. "Talk all you want Anubis, but it will be you who doesn't see morning! And once I'm finished destroying you, I will finally get my hands on Isinia!"

That was it, Cruger thought. As Benaag laughed, Cruger felt the pressure let up slightly on his right wrist which Benaag was stepping on. Mustering all of his strength, Cruger formed a fist and pulled his arm off the ground, catching Benaag off-balance. As his foot let up on Cruger's arm, Doggie grabbed the foot, pushing it. The hulking alien was now trying to balance himself on one foot.

As he toppled to the ground, he never let go of Cruger's other hand. Doggie used the pressure to his advantage, allowing Benaag to pull him to his feet, as the monster fell to the ground. Once Benaag's back hit the dirt, Cruger was already bringing a fist down on his chest. Benaag's claw, however, refused to release his left hand. After the jab to the chest, Cruger dove to the ground, grabbing for his Shadow Saber.

As he felt the blade touching his fingertips, he was yanked away by Benaag's grip on his other hand. Cruger was brought face to face with the creature for only a second before the pain struck him hard. Benaag fired on Cruger with his arm blaster, sending the Sirian collapsing to the ground. Cruger howled in pain, as he clutched his stomach.

Benaag retrieved the Shadow Saber from the ground and pointed it at Cruger's head, as he stood over him once again.

Inside the bunker, Sam closed hoisted his backpack onto his back. Now that his suspicions about Dr. Sevarus had been confirmed, he was eager to get as far away from the Divalian as possible. He couldn't go alone, though. Cruger had placed his family in his care and that was a duty that Sam couldn't abort. He wasn't sure it was safe outside since Cruger had never returned from dealing with the threat that attacked Hawk. But, Sam was willing to take the chance, knowing that there was strength in numbers.

"Sam?" Sevarus called out from the hallway.

Sam quickly opened the door that connected his room to Isinia's. He quietly closed and locked the door, as he glanced at Isinia on her bed. Sam's heart fell as he noticed she wasn't moving. He wanted to call out to her, but if he could hear Sevarus' voice, then the doctor could surely hear Sam if he said anything. The teen walked around the bed, staring at Isinia's stomach, wishing and hoping to see some sign that she was breathing. At that point, he heard footsteps back in his room.

With each step, Sam's pulse quickened. He knew he had to go, especially if Sevarus had gotten to Mrs. Cruger. Sam grabbed Anubis Jr. from the crib. The pup was already wrapped securely in his blanket. Sam dropped his backpack and unzipped it as quietly as he could. He sat the pup into the pack and didn't zip it up, leaving the pup with room to breathe.

"Sam, I need to speak with you," Sevarus called out again.

Sam sprung to his feet. He gently placed the pack back on his back and grabbed Isobel from the crib. He turned back to Isinia, quietly mouthing his apologies, hoping that she was still alive. As he waved his hand over himself and the pups, he disappeared.

Seconds later, the door that connected the two rooms opened. Shivan Sevarus walked in, looking troubled. He walked over to the crib and his eyes grew wide as he saw the pups were gone. Behind him, lying in her bed, Isinia's stomach contracted, as she let out a deep sleeping breath.

Seconds later, Sam materialized meters away from the spot where he knew the shuttle was parked. But once he appeared, he was shocked to see the wreckage of the Supreme Commander's transport.

"Oh no," Sam said, as the pups began to cry.

He looked around the barren area until he saw something in the distance. It was the Shadow Saber, in the hands of the wrong alien. He squinted, trying to look closer. Benaag's back was to Sam. He never saw him appear. Benaag held the sword at Cruger's throat.

"No," Sam muttered quietly, as he began looking around again.

He feared that the pups' crying, which was getting louder by the moment, would alert Benaag to his presence. It was then that Sam saw a second, smaller shuttle pod several yards away. He concluded that it must have brought Benaag here. He waved his hand, teleporting himself and the pups inside the vehicle.

Once inside, Sam slowly knelt to the floor of the cockpit. He laid Isobel down there and unpacked Anubis Jr., laying him next to his sister. Both of the pups' squealing increased.

"Look, I don't know what else to do for you," Sam said to the children, in almost a whisper, as his thoughts veered back to their parents. "I really hope your mom's okay."

He stood up, as he thought of Cruger. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the Omega morpher. Sam sighed.

"There's one way I can guarantee your father will be," Sam said, as he strapped the morpher to his wrist.

* * *

Inside the Drew household on Earth, Anna Storm found herself exploring the house. Still standing by the door, Syd's mother was full of questions.

"Who's this girl?" Shannon whispered, low enough where Anna couldn't hear.

"She's…important," Syd said, wondering how much to tell her mother. "Mom, I need you to look after her and this is the last place anyone would come looking for Anna."

"Who would be looking for her?" Shannon said, nervously. "What is going on?"

"I can't tell you. Believe me, it's better that way. You just have to keep Anna here, inside, away from the public. I can't risk anyone else seeing her. If you want to know more, just watch the news tonight. I'm sure you'll hear about it," Syd explained.

"…Did you kidnap her?"

"Sorta, but she wasn't where she was meant to be. It's complicated. Just trust me, mom. Please! I have to get back to Newtech City before someone misses me," Syd said.

Shannon took a deep breath. She finally threw her hands up in surrender.

"Okay," she said. "I don't know how I'll explain this to Mitch, but…I'll find a way."

"Thank you," Syd said, as she hugged her mother. "Anna."

Anna walked over to the two.

"You'll be safe here," Syd told the girl.

"Are you sure?"

Syd nodded her head, as she gave Anna a hug, hoping that her reassurance would help Anna feel more secure.

"Check out my room," Syd said, with a smile. "I think you'll love it."

"I haven't changed a thing," Shannon chimed in.

"Okay…but when am I going to see you again?" Anna asked.

"Soon," Syd said. "I'll call you when it's safe. I promise."

Anna nodded, as Syd headed for the door. Once she was out on the porch, Shannon stepped out behind her.

"Syd, what about you? Are you keeping yourself safe?"

"I'm trying," Syd said, with a somber smile.

"Keep trying," Shannon said, sincerely, as she hugged her daughter again. "I'm glad you're all right."

"Thanks, mom…for everything."

Syd hopped into her car and pulled off, as her mother waved to her. She was glad Anna wasn't near a window to wave as well. She wanted her to be safe and seeing her face as she drove away still made Syd uneasy. She wasn't sure she could absolutely guarantee Anna's safety if she wasn't in charge of it herself.

"I'm trying so hard Mia," Syd said, quietly, as she looked up to the heavens.

* * *

Inside his cell at the Myers Detention Facility, Cash Donovan couldn't help replaying his last encounter with Sky Tate. His sly demeanor. The evil grin. It just wasn't Sky, Cash thought to himself. He didn't understand how Sky could have changed so much, but he wanted to find out.

Cash walked over to the cell doors, holding a mug, which he tapped on the bars, as he tried to glance down the hallway.

"Hey, Stephens!" he called to the guard. "I need to speak to Tate in solitary."

Stephens was one of the prison's more laid back guards. Cash was glad to have him on duty in this area of the prison since Sonsky's death. He just hoped that the officer would oblige him, despite his encounter earlier with Warden Gaines.

Cash heard no response so he continued to bang on the bars. He glanced down the hallway, which was darkened. He heard footsteps approaching.

"Glad you heard me," Cash said, with a sigh.

"I think the whole wing of the prison could hear you!"

Cash stepped back quickly, noticing it was Officer Morgan, not Stephens.

"Where's Stephens?"

"On his break," Morgana said. "But, I think I can help you."

"Oh really?" Cash said in disbelief. "You're gonna take me to see Sky?"

"Oh no," Morgana said, frowning. "That's not allowed. But…I can solve your problem. I can tell you're feeling lonely in there all by yourself."

"I'm doing just fine," Cash retorted.

"Come on…a big talker like you," Morgana said, in her thick accent. "I'm sure you're just _dying_ to have some company."

As Morgana grabbed her keys, Cash got more nervous. Hearing her emphasis on the word 'dying' didn't help either. As the cell doors opened, Cash didn't know whether to make a run for it, or wait for her next move. He saw her nod to someone else down the hallway. Cash watched in shock as the prisoner that spooked Sky in the cafeteria appeared.

"You," Cash said, under his breath, as Dru Harrington entered.

"Meet your new cellmate," Morgana said, as she closed and locked the doors. "This is Dru Harrington. Dru, this is _Cash_ Donovan."

Cash was unsettled by Dru's big grin. He extended a hand to Cash, but the dark-skinned man wasn't stupid. He took three steps backwards, away from Dru.

"Now, now boys. Play nicely," she said, with a wink before disappearing into the darkness once again.

"I think you and I are going to be good friends," Dru said, with a smile.

"Funny, I was thinking the exact opposite," Cash said, nervously.

"Paranoia isn't a good quality to have, my friend."

"Were you and Sky _friends_?" Cash asked, sarcastically.

"Actually we were," Dru said with a laugh. "Until I betrayed him and tried to kill his boss!"

At that moment Dru swung his extended hand swiftly through the air, colliding with Cash's cheek. The vicious backhand smack sent Cash slamming into the wall of the cell. Dru followed up with a punch that sent Cash crashing to the floor of the cell. As Cash grabbed his hurt head, he could hear the crazed laughter from Dru standing above. He glanced up at him.

"Now we're bonding," Dru said, grinning.

* * *

On the eastern side of Newtech City, Barrett Van Tigue found himself pacing in the office inside his warehouse. He was eagerly anticipating Prax's arrival. He wanted to make sure that his package was just as he had ordered it. There was also the complication of Vishus losing track of Anna Storm. That had Barrett worried, because he couldn't understand who would have known about the girl, besides he and Vishus.

At that moment, the door to his office opened, without a knock. Van Tigue saw his insectoid henchman, Prax, holding the small box, wrapped in black paper.

"Good job, Prax," Barrett said, as he grabbed the box from him and began unwrapping it.

"It's rather small to be so important," Prax said.

"You can't judge the power of something by its size Prax, believe me," Barrett said.

Prax did believe him. After all Barrett wasn't an imposing figure. While he was skilled in the martial arts, he didn't appear to be threatening to anyone. After all of his dealings with Van Tigue, however, Prax knew that Barrett was truly dangerous and that made him happy to be on his side. He watched his boss completely unwrap the box, which Prax now saw was metal in design.

"What is it?" he asked.

"This is your fighting force," Barrett revealed, holding up the box.

"I don't understand," Prax said. "I thought the Delta X robots—"

"No! No!" Barrett said, looking surprised. "You haven't been paying attention my friend."

"But, I thought the robots were going to aid us in taking over Newtech City."

"You know my plans are never that simple. You don't have to concern yourself with the robots, Prax," Barrett said, with a grin. "All you need for your part of this plan is sealed within this box, ready to jump out and attack Space Patrol Delta."

* * *

Back on Earth, Z and Piggy were still arguing in the middle of a Newtech City street.

"You're disgusting Piggy!" Z shouted in the street. "You know, when D.C. told me his plan to get information out of you, I never dreamed that you would actually try to kill me. You surprised me. I guarantee that'll never happen again. I offered you friendship and you spit on that repeatedly!"

"You keep trying to make me a man," Piggy said, angrily. "I'm not human! I never will be! I can only be who I am. You've made all of this friendship stuff out to be more than it is…more than it could ever be. I can't be what you want."

Z was infuriated at Piggy's logic. In her mind, every being in the galaxy shared something unique, especially here on Earth. There was a kinship between them. But Piggy insisted on proving her wrong.

"I didn't come here to make friends," Piggy mumbled. "I don't know how."

"You learned," Z said, as her anger seemed more subdued, as it seemed to now stem from sadness.

"What happened on that rooftop proves that I didn't," Piggy said.

"You wouldn't have been haunted if you didn't care," Z said, through gritted teeth. "You cared."

"But, you stopped caring," Piggy said. "Don't you see that I've changed you, more than you've changed me?"

"I was just doing my job," Z said.

"You keep saying that," Piggy said, annoyed. "It's not your job to scare others to death! It's not your job to try to change everyone and make them like you! S.P.D. is nothing but a big club where you all demand everyone be the same, no matter how different they are. We can't all be good."

"You're wrong."

"I don't think so," Piggy said, angrily. "When someone refuses to be like the rest of you, you contain them, confine them. Have you taken a look around lately? You're all imploding on yourselves. Your ideals have become so warped. When you don't want the rules to apply to you, you just change them…or pretend to be dead so no one notices."

"You know nothing about rules," Z said.

"I know that I can't follow yours anymore," Piggy said. "Maybe you should take a long look at what's become of Space Patrol Delta. It isn't what it used to be. The laws of nature say Piggy's got to go. So, unless you plan on arresting me, I'm outta here."

Piggy grabbed tight to his cane and turned away from Z, continuing on his way out of Newtech City. Z felt the need to shed a tear, but she wondered if the tear would be because Piggy had given up…or because he had a point about Space Patrol Delta.

* * *

Cruger felt the searing pain of Benaag's blast on his chest. As he clutched his body, it felt like he was holding his guts, preventing them from falling out onto his home soil. Cruger tried to fight through the pain, but it was too much. When he finally allowed himself to open his eyes, he saw Benaag standing over him, with his Shadow Saber in his hand. Cruger wanted to grab his morpher, but the device was behind his back. He wouldn't have enough time to reach for it before Benaag struck.

"You look like a helpless pup, Anubis," Benaag cackled. "I think it's time to put the old dog out of his misery!"

Benaag raised the Shadow Saber, pointing it downwards. Cruger closed his eyes, ready for fate to take control. Benaag thrust downwards, with a grunt of power. The blade fell towards Cruger's chest, almost piercing his flesh…when it was stopped. Benaag looked over to see that something had grabbed his arm, preventing the final blow. But it wasn't something. It was someone.

"I don't think so!" Sam yelled.

"No!" Benaag shouted at the morphed Ranger standing before him. "This can't be."

Cruger's eyes opened, as he heard the voice. Cruger was stunned at what he saw standing above him.

"Omega Ranger?" he said, unbelieving.

With one motion, Sam twisted Benaag's arm, which was holding the Shadow Saber. This pointed it away from Cruger, just as he brought his leg up, kicking Benaag in the chest. The monster staggered backwards, still holding onto the sword. The Omega Ranger hopped over Cruger's body, vaulting towards Benaag.

"He told me there would be only one Ranger!" Benaag called out, as he drew Cruger's sword, swiping at Sam as he got close.

Cruger wondered who Benaag was referring to.

Sam ducked every attempt by Benaag, feeling more energized and powerful by the second. He could feel his agility and strength enhanced, along with his height and muscle mass inside the suit. He waited for his opening, as Benaag went for another swipe, leaving his chest open to attack. Sam twisted his morpher's throttle and his palm began to glow. He punched Benaag right in the chest, sending him flying to the ground. As he hit the dirt, he released the Shadow Saber.

Before Sam could advance on his downed opponent, he felt an arm on his shoulder. It was Cruger.

"Sam?"

"Yes, Commander. It's me," Sam said.

"What are you doing? How did you—"

"I brought along some extra fire power," Sam said.

"My family?"

"There was trouble," Sam said. "I didn't know what else to do. Dr. Sevarus killed Officer Hawk!"

"Shivan? That's impossible," Cruger said, still holding his stomach.

"I'm certain," Sam said. "Isinia…I'm not sure she made it either."

"What?" Cruger said, as the anger inside him swelled. "My children?"

"They're fine. I took them to his shuttle," Sam said, as he pointed to Benaag on the ground.

"You have to go back for Isinia," Cruger grunted. "I can't leave her there."

"But Benaag…Sevarus, how can—"

"You have the power now, Sam," Cruger said. "You can handle Sevarus until I get my hands on him. You made the decision to fight. Now trust me when I tell you which battle needs you more."

Cruger picked up his Shadow Saber.

"Leave Benaag to me."

With a nod, Sam accepted Cruger's orders and sprinted back towards the bunker. Once he was out of sight, Cruger turned to Benaag, who was still down, now gripping his own chest, thanks to a powerful energy strike. Cruger stood above him.

"It's time to finish this once and for all," Cruger said.

As Sam approached the bunker, he impressed even himself with his speed inside the Omega Ranger suit. He could see the bunker and he hoped that Isinia was indeed still alive. No matter what, Sevarus would pay for everything he had done. But, as Sam got closer to the bunker, he began to feel a surging pain in his head. His running slowed to a stop, as he gripped his helmet. The pain began to travel downward throughout his body. He fell to his knees, as white energy began to surge all around him. Sam screamed in pain, as he collapsed to the ground, demorphing.

As the teenager's face hit the dirt, he was unconscious. The morpher strapped to his wrist, however, was still active and appeared to have been the source of the power surge, as it continued to release energy after the morph had ended.

Inside the bunker, Sevarus had turned his attentions to Isinia Cruger. As he stood over her breathing body, he shook his head.

"This isn't me," he said quietly. "This is not how things were supposed to happen. But, when duty calls…one must answer."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a syringe, identical to the one he had used on Officer Hawk. This one was also filled with a blue poison that could kill in an instant. Sevarus held the syringe tightly in his hand, as he glanced at Isinia on the bed. Her head was slightly turned away from him as she slept. Her neck was exposed. Sevarus' eyes turned dark, as he picked his target.

* * *

As Syd ascended the staircase to her apartment, she was exhausted. It had been a busy day that had taken more turns than she expected. Syd was happy to be back inside Purgatory, not because she liked it there, but because it meant she hadn't completely blown her cover.

She unlocked the door to her apartment and closed it. She let out a huge sigh, as she leaned against the door in the darkness. She smiled a bit as she realized just how much she had accomplished on this day. Then, she heard a rustling coming from her bedroom. Syd became a little worried.

"Z?" she said, as her fingers grazed the wall, reaching for the light switch.

Once the room was illuminated, she began walking towards her bedroom. Then, the intruder appeared. Syd didn't know whether to smile, frown or run for the nearest exit. She settled on a look of surprise.

"Lady Vishus…what are you doing in my room?"

Lady Vishus was smiling, slyly, as she usually did, like a cat that was ready to swallow the tiny mouse trapped under its paw.

"Looking for a cell phone," Vishus said, loudly.

"Excuse me?" Syd said, faking confusion, but realizing with each passing second that she was in trouble.

"Oh, I didn't find it," Vishus said. "But…I did find some very interesting communications equipment in your room. I have to say, you almost had me fooled."

"I don't know what you're talking about. That stuff is for—"

"Shut up!" Vishus yelled. "No more lies. Where's the girl?"

Syd looked shocked.

"What? You didn't think the group home would have security cameras watching every square inch of that place? I saw you on the tapes!" Vishus sneered.

Syd's façade disappeared in an instant.

"You're busted," Vishus sneered.

* * *

On Fenix Prime, Sky Tate sat alone in the darkness. As he leaned his head against the corner of his cell, he realized just how solitary his life had become. It was then that he heard the creaking sound of the small observation hatch on the cell door. He didn't even bother to look at the square-shaped beam of light that shot into the cell as the little door opened.

"Well, well, well," he heard Mirloc's voice. "Isn't this cozy?"

"Be quiet," Sky said, practically whispering.

He still refused to look over at the door.

"Have I made you angry, little boy," Mirloc's steely voice continued.

"I know you're not really Mirloc," Sky said. "You can't scare me anymore Slate."

It was at that moment, that Mirloc's voice became softer, different. Slate appeared in the window.

"Well, now you're ruining all the fun," Slate said. "It's a good thing that Morgana is still out here to entertain us all."

"Oh, it's not me," Morgana said, as she peered into the window, at Slate's side.

Sky continued to ignore them.

"The one who's causing all the fun now is Cash Donovan!" Morgana said, slyly.

Hearing his friend's name caused Sky to turn towards them finally.

"Leave him alone!" Sky shouted.

"Oh, I think we've touched a nerve," Slate said, with a laugh.

"Don't worry about Cash," Morgana told Sky. "Dru is taking very good care of him!"

Sky lifted himself off the floor and ran towards the door, just as Morgana slammed the observation hatch closed. Sky banged on the door.

"He's not a part of this!" Sky yelled. "Leave him out of it!"

He continued to bang on the door, as he could still hear their maniacal laughs booming inside his brain. Sky slid to the floor again, trying to steady himself. He didn't want to hear them anymore. He needed to clear his head. He needed…help.

At that moment, Sky opened his eyes. In the complete darkness of solitary confinement, he realized the one weapon that he still had was his mind. He couldn't let them break down his spirit.

Sky shut his eyes tight and tried with all of his power to push their voices from his head. He eliminated every thought, every memory, every fear that Morgana, Slate, Giganus, Wootox and Sinuku had brought back into his life. He even pushed aside the evil memories of Mirloc they had tried to use against him. Once he had, Sky tried to reach out with his mind, past the walls of Myers, past the barren wasteland of Fenix Prime, past the stars. In his mind, he spoke out.

_I need help._

_They're here. _

_I can't fight them alone._

_Help me._

Bridge Carson's eyes popped open, as he jumped up out of his bed, looking surprised. As he rubbed his head, he finally realized that what he had just experienced wasn't a part of his naptime dream. It was coming from his genetic power and Bridge recognized the voice calling for help.

"Sky?"

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Strike"**  
_Syd & Cruger both find themselves in dangerous battles, while  
Sam struggles to save Isinia before it's too late. Bridge reveals  
a bold plan to help Sky on Fenix Prime, as Morgana begins  
her final plan for his destruction. Kat heads to Vanguard X  
in search of answers about the Delta X Series. The suspicions  
of the Galactic Council become more cemented. Prax's  
invasion force sets its sights on Newtech City._


	18. Strike

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"STRIKE"**

"You're sure about this?"

Z Delgado asked the question, as she stood curiously, with her arms folded, looking down at Bridge Carson, who was seated on the edge of his bed. She had learned over the years not to underestimate Bridge, but that didn't prevent her from asking the tough questions. Bridge had been seemingly scratching his head since she arrived in his room.

"Yes," Bridge said, confidently. "It was Sky and he needed my help. He was calling out to me…to my mind."

"What did he say again?" Sophie asked. Seated in a chair near the door, she looked a bit confused.

"He said that 'they' were there and he couldn't fight them alone. He said he needed help," Bridge summarized.

"Sky's in trouble," Quinn said, as he sat on his bed, opposite Bridge's. "I knew it."

"What are you talking about?" Z asked.

"We've been trying to contact him on Fenix Prime for weeks," Quinn explained. "But every one of us keeps getting shut down by the communications operators. They keep saying that Sky's used up his allocated comm time."

Z frowned.

"Well, he's not talking to me and last time I checked with Syd, she hadn't been able to get in touch with him either," she said.

"Kat doesn't have the time, the Crugers are on Sirius and Sky's not on speaking terms with his mother," Bridge said, seriously. "So, who's he chatting with all the time?"

"You're right," Sophie chimed in. "It does sound strange."

Bridge said, looking worried, "If Sky's in trouble, I have to do something. I just don't know what yet."

As the others nodded, Bridge had resigned himself to helping his friend. He just needed some time to figure out how.

"I need to think," he said, as he stood up for a second, before flipping himself into a handstand on the nearby wall, closing his eyes.

"We'll leave you to it," Quinn said, as he and Sophie exited the doors where Z was standing.

The Yellow Ranger, however, didn't exit. She let the doors close, as she looked down at Bridge, whose eyes opened, as he sensed her presence.

"If you go there, you'll be in violation of the S.P.D. code," Z said, quietly to him.

"I wouldn't even contemplate it if I didn't feel Sky was in real danger."

"I know," Z said, with a bit of a grin. "I'm just sayin' what I know you're thinking."

"I thought I was the one with psychic powers," Bridge said, with a smirk, as he stood back up. "Do you remember the conversation we had when I showed you Sky's letter?"

"Of course," Z said. "I asked you how you follow the rules that your instincts tell you are wrong."

"And I told you that I wasn't sure but we were reaching a point where we'd find out," Bridge remembered.

Z nodded, as she recalled perfectly.

"I think I've reached that line," Bridge said, desperately.

"If you cross it, there's no turning back," Z said, as she thought of her last conversation with Piggy.

He had showed her his disdain for S.P.D. and how they were acting like their own rules didn't apply to them. Z, however, couldn't fight the feeling that the rules needed to be broken, this time. She was sure Bridge was starting to feel the same way.

"I know," Bridge said, with a sigh. "I know."

* * *

As Doctor Pryce Jensen studied the monitor on his desk, he found it hard to focus. He had made a vow that he would throw himself into his work and not worry about what was happening outside of his laboratory…but it was a vow he found very hard to keep. As the doors to his laboratory slid open, the reason for his commitment to staying out of S.P.D. Ranger business walked in. He barely acknowledged his commanding officer, as she entered. 

"This is a surprise," he said, quietly, not taking his eyes off his monitor. "After you kicked me out of Command Central to talk to B-Squad, I thought I'd never hear from you again."

"Don't be dramatic," Kat said, seriously, as she approached his desk. "I had to take disciplinary action against B-Squad. It had nothing to do with you."

Pryce nodded, without a word. As she noticed his clearly visible annoyance with her, Kat's claws came out.

"Just because the Commander doesn't confide everything in you, doesn't mean you should hide out in your office."

"I'm just trying to do my job," Pryce said, flatly.

"Good," Kat said, annoyed. "Because that's what I came here for."

She placed a small cellphone on Pryce's desk, right in front of him. He looked at it curiously.

"What's this?"

"It's evidence in a very important investigation," Kat said.

"One you're _not_ going to tell me more about?" Pryce said, noticing her cryptic approach.

"There are photographs on this phone. They're too blurred to make out. I don't have the technology in Command Central to analyze them. I need to see these pictures," Kat said. "Can you make that happen?"

"That's all? Blurred cell phone pics?" Pryce said, looking confused. "Fine. Give me a minute to download them."

As Pryce hooked the cellphone into a nearby computer terminal, Kat glanced at the one on his desk. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her leaning over his desk to peek at the monitor.

"Don't worry, Commander. It's not the Delta X project," he said, rudely.

As Kat got a good look, she was surprised. She turned the monitor to get a closer look at the schematics on the screen.

"What is this?" she asked curiously.

Pryce began the cellphone data download and walked around his desk to stand next to her.

"Just some modifications I made to the Blast Buggy," Pryce said. "I don't have access to any new equipment or technology around here, so I thought I'd stimulate my brain with what we do have."

"You're trying to make it compatible with the Delta Megazord Mark 2," Kat said, as she studied the screen. "The upgrade looks good."

"Thanks," Pryce said, looking surprised at her response. "I'm calling it the Delta Blast Megazord combination."

"You've been studying up on my Delta Runner designs," Kat said, as she admired the new megazord combination.

"I guess some knowledge _isn't_ so dangerous," Pryce said, sarcastically.

Kat rolled her eyes at him, realizing what he was getting at.

"I had every right to halt the Delta X project. There were too many variables that we couldn't account for."

"That's why we study things," Pryce said, eagerly. "To increase our knowledge about them. There's nothing wrong with learning as much as we can and furthering exploration of science and technology. You should know that more than anyone else."

"I do know that," Kat said, as she looked into his eyes, giving him a serious look. "But Pryce, it's not about how much knowledge you have. It's what you do with it that's important."

"The Delta X robots are no different than the Delta Megazord," Pryce said.

"Those robots can't be controlled the way the Delta Runners can and you know it," Kat said. "You saw what happened. It's not the same thing."

Pryce sighed. He gave up the argument as he heard the other computer terminal beeping. He walked back over to it and began clearing up the images that he had downloaded from the cellphone. As the images became crystal clear on his screen, he looked confused. He glanced back up at Kat, showing his confusion.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Pryce said to her.

"What do you mean?" Kat said, as she walked over to him.

Pryce pointed at the images he had just downloaded and Kat's jaw dropped when she saw them.

"What the—?" Kat said, as she was practically speechless. "These are schematics of the Delta X robots…but how did Barrett Van Tigue get them?"

Pryce's confusion was heightened.

"Barrett Van Tigue?"

"Yes," Kat said, as she took a deep breath, deciding to reveal the investigation to Jensen. "He's the subject of a major investigation we're in the middle of. His girlfriend, Mia Storm, died in his home right after she took these photos."

"Weird," Pryce said. "I remember her from the Vanguard X fundraiser. Pretty girl."

"Oh my god," Kat said, as her mind was racing. "That's it!"

"What?"

"The fundraiser! Barrett Van Tigue obviously wasn't just playing the role of charitable millionaire. He was trying to get closer to Vanguard X," Kat guessed.

"But why and what does that have to do with the robots?" Pryce wondered aloud.

"I don't know," Kat said, as she quickly headed for the doors. "But I'm going to find out."

"Wait," Pryce called out. "Where are you going?"

"To find some answers at Vanguard X," Kat said. "If I want to know their connection to Barrett Van Tigue, that's the best place to start."

"I'll go with you," Pryce said, quickly.

Kat put up a hand to protest, but Pryce was right in front of her before she could.

"You need to stay here in case the Rangers need you," she said.

"Look, it's been quiet as a mouse around here," Pryce said. "I can help you. Didn't you just say that it's not about how much knowledge we have, but what we do with it that counts? I have the knowledge on the Delta X project. Let me use it."

Kat sighed.

"Okay," she said, as she looked into his earnest eyes, knowing that he truly wanted to help.

* * *

On Sirius, the tables had turned. Cruger stood above Benaag, holding his Shadow Saber at the alien criminal's throat. 

"What are you going to do, Cruger? Strike me down?" Benaag yelled. "You don't have it in you."

"You've crossed the line one too many times."

Cruger reached behind his back and pulled out his patrol morpher.

"S.P.D. Emergency!" he shouted, as he activated the morpher, instantly transforming into Shadow Ranger. "It's all over, Benaag!"

The monster struggled to his feet, still eyeing Cruger.

"You're going back to the card you came from," Cruger said, as he still held his morpher, pointed at Benaag.

"You wouldn't dare," Benaag said, as his heartless mind was racing, struggling to find a way out of his predicament, until he reached the answer. "That's one difference between you and me!"

Benaag swiped the Shadow Saber away from his neck with his clawed hand, as he brought his right fist up to attempt to fire at Cruger, who ducked the blow, elbowing Benaag in the gut. The monster staggered back a bit and Shadow Ranger was still right on top of him, with his weapon drawn to Benaag's throat.

"You know another difference between us, Cruger?" Benaag said, his voice grizzly and ravaged.

"What's that?" Cruger said, beneath his helmet, as his eyes met Benaag's.

"I have nothing to lose," Benaag said, with a chuckle. "You, however, have everything to lose."

As Benaag laughed loudly, Cruger didn't understand the source of his happiness. Then, his eyes shifted from Benaag's and he saw that Benaag had maneuvered himself into a position that allowed him to point his clawed arm at his shuttle craft in the distance. Benaag's claw was transformed into a cannon, pointed directly at the vehicle.

"Benaag!" Cruger yelled, angrily.

"Stand down, Cruger…or I will blast your children out of existence along with your only way off this planet," Benaag said, loudly.

Sam's eyes fluttered open, as he raised his head slightly, frowning at the dirt that covered half of his face. He made his way to his knees and glanced down at the Omega morpher on his wrist. It was still sparking a bit. He didn't know what was wrong with it or why it had caused him to violently de-morph moments before.

He was aware that there were problems with the morpher while Jack Landors was forced to take on the Omega power while under the evil influence of Omallix and his scientist, Jintari. Even though they had created the morpher, Sam was still sure he could use it to fight for good. Jack had done it and Sam knew it was his destiny.

As he glanced around, trying to shake off his disorientation, he saw the bunker in the distance. It was then that he remembered Cruger's mission for him.

"Isinia," Sam muttered.

Inside the bunker, Dr. Shivan Sevarus, S.P.D. Earth's Chief of Medicine…and resident traitor, was standing over Isinia in her room. As the Sirian slept, Sevarus held up the syringe, filled with a rare poison that would be virtually undetectable once it was in her system. Sevarus had used it effectively to kill Supreme Commander Cruger's pilot, Officer Hawk and he had finally prepared himself to do the same to Isinia.

As she slept soundly, her head was turned away from Sevarus, allowing him a clear view of her neck, the perfect place to deliver her death, he thought. He crept closer to the bed, steadying his hand around the needle. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. He knew he would regret this action for the rest of his life. But, he also knew that his life would be a long and prosperous only if he carried out the orders of his superior officer. Sevarus' hand moved closer to Isinia's neck. He moved slowly, hoping not to wake her before it was done.

Sam teleported in behind him.

"No!"

Sevarus jerked his head around at the sound of Sam's yelling voice. The young man lunged at Sevarus, sending him crashing into a wall. The two fell to the ground, where Sam wrestled for control. He saw the syringe had fallen to the floor and rolled underneath Isinia's bed, still full. He hoped Isinia was okay. But he felt he might not be, as he could feel the larger alien gaining more momentum in their tussle. Sevarus managed to gain the upper hand, holding Sam down on the floor with both hands.

"Sam…listen to me! You don't understand what's happening!"

"Yes, I do!" Sam yelled, trying to break free. "You killed Hawk with that stuff."

Sevarus shook his head.

"I can't free you until you calm down."

"Screw you!" Sam yelled, as he brought his leg up, kneeing Sevarus in the crotch.

Sam was surprised to see that it had no effect on the older fighter.

"Oh my," Sevarus said, angrily. "Someone hasn't been studying intergalactic biology. If you had, you'd know that we Divalians don't have those organs."

Sevarus pulled Sam to his feet, still holding tight to his wrists with both of his massive hands. Sam couldn't even teleport given Sevarus' grip on his arms. As Sam fought against the doctor's grip, Sevarus pushed him away, causing him to go stumbling backwards into the steel door that connected Isinia's room to his own. Sam's head hit the steel and his eyes were once again closed. Sevarus stood above Sam and sighed.

"This truly is a sad day," he said, casually as he dropped to his knees and glanced under Isinia's bed for the syringe.

Sevarus looked shocked, as he saw the syringe was gone. His eyes veered back to Sam, who was still down on the floor.

"Looking for this?"

Sevarus turned quickly to see the being who called out. It was Isinia Cruger, standing behind him with the syringe in hand. She stabbed the needle into Sevarus' back before he could react. Isinia held the needle there, not releasing any of the fluid inside of it.

"Funny thing about Sirian ears…they hear everything," Isinia said angrily.

"Isinia…I—"

"When duty calls, one must answer, right?" Isinia said, repeating Shivan's earlier statement while she had been supposedly sleeping. "Now, I have no idea what the stuff in this needle does, but if it killed Hawk and you planned to kill me with it, I can guess that it will have the same effect on you. So, I suggest you tell me where my children are and what you're doing or I'll be forced to find out just how durable you Divalians are!"

* * *

"Tell me where Anna Storm is, now!" 

Syd stood in the middle of her apartment, staring at Lady Vishus, who had discovered that she was the one who liberated Mia's daughter from social services. In that moment, Syd was happy that she had gotten to Anna first. But, she was also worried because Lady Vishus was inches away from completely figuring her out.

"V, just calm down—"

"Shut up and tell me the truth!" Vishus said, as she sauntered closer to Syd, who backed away from her with each step. "What are you up to?"

"It's not what you think," Syd said, still trying to salvage her position.

"You're lying to me again," Vishus said, as she walked closer. "But then, you've been lying for a long time, haven't you? Who is _Syren Dean_ really?"

"I'm a singer. You know that."

"Oh, you're more than that," Vishus said. "If you had given me a little more time around here, I'm sure I would know the answer. But since you're being so tight-lipped, I'm going to have to…extract the information I want, the hard way."

"I don't think Barrett would like that," Syd said.

"Well, he's going to have to deal with it," Vishus said. "It's time to say goodbye to Syren Dean."

Syd backed up another step, only to feel her back hit the closed apartment door. Vishus, however, still had room to get closer.

"If you hurt me, you'll never find Anna!" Syd said, angrily, trying to buy time, knowing she had no morpher.

"Still, it might be more fun this way," Vishus said, with a grin. "Once I break you apart, some simple DNA testing will reveal the truth about you and once that happens, I'll personally hunt down every relative and friend you have. I'll find the girl and if I don't, I'll just kill whoever stands in my way."

"Starting with me, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Vishus said.

"Well, I've got news for you," Syd said, as Vishus was close enough to hear her heart beating faster.

"What's that?" Vishus said, bringing her head even closer to Syd's.

"I'm not Syren Dean," Syd whispered.

With one swift motion, Syd head-butted the villainous bodyguard, sending her tumbling backwards. Vishus fell over the leather sofa in the living room, crashing to the hard wood floor behind it. Syd took a few steps forward looking confident, until she saw Vishus' head pop up from behind the sofa way too quickly. It caught Syd off-guard when Vishus leapt over the furniture, diving towards her.

Syd quickly cartwheeled out of the way, as Vishus landed on her feet in front of the closed entrance door. She turned her head quickly. After a few quick steps in her black knee-high heeled boots, Vishus' legs took flight, aiming several swift martial arts kicks at Syd, which the former Pink Ranger blocked easily. Syd punched Vishus across the face, causing her lipstick to smear, which Vishus noticed.

"You're going to pay for that!"

Vishus went for her own punches, which Syd ducked and blocked, as she was backed towards her window. Vishus' anger rose, as she wasn't able to land one single shot on Syren Dean. She yelled in fury, sending another punch straight through the glass. She pulled back her arm, holding it with the other, but never screaming from the pain. Syd looked troubled. She went for a kick of her own, but Vishus caught her leg with both hands and then she laughed loudly.

"Gotcha!"

Vishus swing Syd's leg, sending her flying across her sofa, which toppled over. Syd crashed to the floor, inches away from hitting her head on the small end table that was sitting near the edge of the sofa. Syd waved her blond curls away from her face, to see where Lady Vishus was. But, before she could get to her feet, Vishus once again had grabbed both of them, as she stood above Syd.

"I think this little catfight is over!" Vishus said, sneering, as she gripped Syd's legs tighter.

Syd was surprised at how strong her grip was, despite her hand having crashed through the window moments before. Syd's eyes glanced towards the end table, where she had left a butter knife from her breakfast. She grabbed it into her hand, as she heard Vishus laughing again.

"Oh, _now_ I'm scared," Vishus said, as she leaned a little closer to Syd. "What are you going to do with that? Serve me toast?"

"Actually, I was thinking about knocking you out," Syd said.

As her genetic power was activated, Syd's fisted hand had practically become a silver mallet. She punched Vishus across the jaw, sending her flying backward to the floor. Syd got to her feet, as she saw Vishus was really down. Her foe's legs were moving slightly, letting Syd know she was still conscious. Syd couldn't believe it. Z had told her that Vishus was strong, but a blow like that should have put her out for at least a minute, if not longer.

Syd walked closer and her jaw dropped, as she looked down at Vishus' face. Syd's punch had completely taken the skin off of Vishus' cheek. But Syd didn't see exposed muscles or even bone. What she saw was metal circuitry.

"Oh my god," Syd said, shocked. "You're a robot."

* * *

_Syd giggled. As she plopped down on the red picnic blanket, her hair bounced lightly. She was perfect in her white dress. She was always perfect to him. She glowed in the sun, he thought, as he smiled down at her. She reached her hand up to him._

"_Sky, come on," Syd said with a smile. "Aren't you gonna join me?"_

_Sky smiled, as he prepared to sit. But, when he tried to move his legs, he noticed they were chained. His hands were shackled as well. He frowned, as he looked back at the picnic area to see that Syd was now gone. _

"_Syd?" _

_The atmosphere around him began to turn red, as he looked up at the sun. He wasn't home anymore. He was there…on Fenix Prime…in prison._

Sky's eyes popped open, as he woke from his nightmare. In the darkness of solitary confinement, he wiped his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. He didn't have much time to gather himself, as the small observation window of his cell opened, revealing Morgana standing outside.

"Wakey, wakey!" she smiled, widely. "There's no time for napping."

"What are you talking about?" Sky murmured. "I've got all the time in the world."

"Well, not anymore!" Morgana sneered. "There's a lot to be done. After all, this is going to be your last day alive!"

At that moment, Sky looked over to the window, locking eyes with Morgana. If looks could kill, they'd both be dead. In that moment, Morgana knew Sky would put up some resistance and Sky knew that he would never allow himself to succumb to the likes of her.

"You just don't know when to keep your mouth shut, do you?" Dru Harrington said, as he stood over Cash Donovan inside their shared cell. "Our plans for Sky have nothing to do with you, but you just had to get involved. Now you're gonna pay, just like Sky."

Dru grabbed Cash by the collar of his red prison jumpsuit, pulling him to his feet and slamming him up against the wall.

"You're not gonna get away with this," Cash said, as he struggled against Dru's grasp.

"I've got a news flash for you! There's no one that can stop us!"

As Dru laughed in his face, Cash took his chance. He had held tight to the mug he had used on the bars to call the guard. He had grabbed it from the floor moments before Dru lifted him up. Cash pounded the ceramic mug directly into Dru's face, cutting him in several places. He freed Cash from his grip, as he screamed out in pain, holding his face with both hands. Cash stood up, staring at him.

"Consider yourself stopped!" he said.

"Ahhhh!" Dru yelled, as his body transformed into his true form of Giganus.

Cash stood stunned at the transformation, especially since Giganus showed no damage from the blow he had struck to Dru Harrington.

"What the hell…"

"Now you've really made me angry!" Giganus yelled furiously.

* * *

Quinn Gray, Z Delgado and Sophie found themselves once again in the company of Bridge Carson. It had been barely an hour since they had last spoken. But Bridge was ready to talk and they were prepared to listen. Even the robotic patrol hound, Murphy, was present and appeared curious. 

"Guys…I can't ignore Sky's message," Bridge said. "He needs me. I don't know who or what is after him, but I've got to find out."

The trio of Rangers nodded, as Bridge spoke. The Blue Ranger took a deep breath.

"So, I've decided that I have to go to Fenix Prime. There's no other choice," Bridge said. "I know that it's against S.P.D. regulations and I'll probably be suspended or told to hand in my morpher, but it's a risk I have to take. Sky's my friend and I have to help him."

"So you're going to break him out?" Sophie wondered.

"No," Quinn said quickly, with a sly smile. "Bridge is gonna…_rescue_ Sky from danger, right? Rescuing those in distress is part of our job, isn't it?"

"I guess that's one way of looking at it," Bridge said, looking a bit confused.

"Good, then I'm going with you!" Quinn said.

"But—" Bridge tried to speak but was interrupted quickly by Z.

"Me too!"

Before Bridge could open his mouth to object to her, Sophie was already talking.

"Count me in," Sophie said.

"Guys…I can't ask you to do this," Bridge said.

"You didn't," Quinn said. "We're volunteering. We're a team and if one of us gets into trouble, we all get into trouble."

"Besides, the handbook says that a Ranger will not stand by while another Ranger is in trouble," Z said, with a wink. "As far as I'm concerned, Sky's still one of us."

Murphy barked excitedly.

"I guess it's decided then," Sophie said, as she pet the robotic canine. "So, are _you_ coming, Carson?"

Bridge smiled.

"Thanks guys," he said. "If we're gonna pull this off, we have to be really careful. We can't let Kat or B-Squad or anyone else know where we're going."

"What about Syd?" Z asked.

"No," Bridge said. "We can't have her losing focus in her investigation. Besides, if she knows Sky's in danger, you know she'll want to come along and that would tip everyone off."

Z nodded in agreement.

"So what do we need to do?" Quinn asked.

"Um…we're gonna need a transport," Bridge said. "Something that will get us there and back quick."

"I'll take care of that," Sophie said.

"Okay, we'll also need maps, schematics, access codes…anything we can get on the Myers Detention Facility," Bridge said, as he gestured towards Quinn.

"You got it," Quinn said. "I'll upload everything to Murphy's systems. Shouldn't take me long."

"Great," Bridge said, as he turned to Z. "We're gonna need gear. Myers is on lockdown twenty-four-seven. We're gonna need lasers to cut the bars, unmarked blasters…we can only morph if it's absolutely necessary. If anyone inside that prison finds out who we are, we're gonna be in big trouble."

"Dr. Jensen and I haven't had a chance to get acquainted," Z said. "I'll pay him a visit, chat him up and let my duplicates do the dirty work."

"Okay," Bridge said. "Other than that, all we need is a good cover story to tell Kat, which I'll take care of. Sophie, you'll contact us when you've secured a vehicle and give us the rendezvous location?"

"Will do," Sophie said.

"See you there," Bridge said, as he nodded to his teammates.

He watched the three of them shuffle out, along with Murphy. Before the doors to his & Quinn's room shut, Z paused and looked back at him, giving him a nod. Bridge nodded back. After a second, she was gone. Left alone in his room, Bridge took a deep breath, really understanding the task ahead of him and the decision he had just made. He knew the team was under his command. If they succeeded, he would prove that Sky was in mortal danger in that prison. If they failed, they might be joining Sky inside a cell. At that moment, Bridge knew he couldn't take many chances. That got him thinking about one more thing he needed to take with him to Fenix Prime.

* * *

Inside his brain, all Doggie Cruger could hear were the echoing cries of his two offspring. He knew they were in that shuttle craft, now under the threatening arm of Benaag. Every fiber of his being urged him to slash the alien criminal's throat quickly, but he knew he couldn't take that chance with his family at stake. 

'There has to be another way,' he thought.

He thought back to Benaag's words to him about their differences and it was then that it hit him. Cruger had to trust in himself and his abilities. After all, one difference between he & Benaag was that Cruger was always the better warrior.

"So, Cruger, what's it going to be?" Benaag cackled, his face close to Shadow Ranger's helmet. "No matter what you choose, I win."

"Benaag, there's a difference between us that you're forgetting," Cruger grunted beneath his helmet. "I haven't spent the last year and a half in containment!"

"So…what does that mean?" Benaag asked, annoyed.

"The number one rule of battle—know your enemy," Cruger said.

"I know you all too well, Anubis! That's how I know you'll stand down…for your family!"

"But, there's something you don't know," Cruger said, quietly, as he leaned in even closer to Benaag's face. "…I've been upgraded!"

Benaag's large left eye seemed to brighten even more with curiosity, as he watched closely.

"Shadow Ranger…S.W.A.T. mode!" Cruger yelled, transforming in an instant into his S.W.A.T. gear.

Benaag was caught off-guard as he saw the black power vest materialize over Cruger's suit, along with the agility-enhancing braces around his knees and the transformation of even his Shadow Saber, which was now bigger, with two small metal tubes running alongside the blade, which was still sharp at his throat.

Without a word, Cruger brought the Saber down on Benaag's throat, slashing down to his chest. The alien staggered backwards, as Shadow Ranger twisted himself around, firing his Shadow Saber in its S.W.A.T. blaster mode. The two metal tubes were firing barrels, which shot matching lasers. The twin lasers from the weapon hit Benaag's cannon arm, knocking it away from the shuttle just before Benaag's reflexes could respond and fire upon it.

Cruger took to the air, firing down on Benaag with the sword, until his feet hit the ground and he slashed him across the chest once more, sending Benaag crashing to the ground in a barrage of sparks, which left his body smoking.

"Tell me where my children are!" Isinia yelled at Sevarus inside the bunker.

The Sirian mother was standing behind the kneeling doctor.

"I don't know the answer you want," Sevarus said. "I didn't take them!"

"Why should I believe you now," Isinia said, as she gripped the needle stuck in his back.

"I'm a doctor…I'd never hurt newborns!"

"You hurt Officer Hawk and Sam!"

"But—I delivered the pups, didn't I?" Sevarus reasoned. "I didn't hurt them. I could have, easily, but I didn't."

Isinia's mind veered back to the moment she gave birth. He was right. He hadn't hurt the pups when they were born.

Sevarus could feel her grip on the needle waver a bit. He sneered, as he brought his right elbow back, striking her in her strained stomach. Isinia moved backwards, clutching her sore belly, as she backed right into the two cribs meant for her children. Mrs. Cruger toppled to the ground, as Sevarus got to his feet and tried to pull the needle from his back.

"Now!" Sevarus yelled in anger at her, as he gripped the needle and began walking closer towards her. "I didn't want things to turn out like this…but you've left me no choice."

* * *

Inside his cell on Fenix Prime, Cash found himself staring down true evil. Dru Harrington was now Giganus, bearing down on him. The alien being grabbed Cash by the shoulders, pulling him up above his head. With one thrust, Giganus threw Cash into the top bunk, causing the frame to crack. The top mattress crashed downwards into the bottom, which in turn broke. With Cash on top of them, the mattresses collided with the hard, concrete prison floor. 

"Hehe," Giganus chuckled, evilly, as he pulled Cash from the bed wreckage. "Now, it's time to end you!"

Giganus grabbed tight to Cash's arms, as he walked him over to the metal bars of the cell.

"Help!" Cash yelled as loud as he could.

Giganus slammed Cash's back into the cell.

"Ahhh," Cash screamed in pain. "Stop! Please!"

"Now you beg for mercy," Giganus said. "Hehe. It's too late for that. But please…continue. I do like to hear you humans squirm."

"Never," Cash grunted through gritted teeth.

He tried to ignore as much of the pain as he could, but it was getting harder, as one of Giganus' palms was now planted on Cash's forehead. The crazed alien criminal began pushing Cash's head backward, pressing it against the bars. Cash screamed in pain again, as Giganus attempted to crush his skull between the bars. It wasn't the way Cash ever imagined his death, but it appeared death was coming for him on this day, as he continued to scream.

"Help!" Cash yelled again.

This time his voice was barely audible. But someone approaching had heard him.

"You're still alive?" Morgana sneered underneath her prison-issued baseball cap.

"He proved to be more of a challenge than I expected," Giganus said, as he continued to press Cash's head into the bars. "But, not for long."

"This does look fun…but stop it!" Morgana said, surprising Giganus.

"What?!"

"I think that Mr. Donovan has learned his lesson…for now," Morgana said. "Release him!"

"But—but you said I could destroy him!" Giganus said, angrily.

"And you will," Morgana said. "But, good things come to those who wait, Giganus. I have a bigger plan in mind and I've come up with just the role for Cash Donovan to play!"

As Giganus stared back at Morgana, he couldn't help but show his confusion. Morgana, however, didn't look confused at all. She had a look of determination on her face that he hadn't seen in a long time. The evil in her eyes helped convince him that she would make good on her promise and allow him the pleasure of killing Cash.

"All right," Giganus relented, freeing Cash, who fell to the floor instantly.

"Good," Morgana said, smiling. "Now, I think it's time for a little prison reunion!"

* * *

Back on Earth, Syd found herself still stunned at the sight of Lady Vishus' exposed inner workings. She had always knew her to be a strange woman, but she never imagined that she wasn't actually a woman at all. As Syd's mind raced, everything about Lady Vishus seemed to make more sense, including her incredible fighting ability. 

Syd walked closer to her body on the floor of her now-ransacked apartment. She couldn't help but repeat her discovery.

"Robot," Syd said, practically whispering.

At that moment, Vishus' head turned to face her, catching Syd off-guard. Lady Vishus swung one heeled foot into the air, sending Syd staggering backwards from the blow. With one swift motion, Lady Vishus was back on her feet, barreling towards the blond. She tackled Syd, sending both of them flying through the doorway to Syd's bedroom, where they crashed onto the bed, with Vishus on top.

"The politically correct term is cyborg, **not** robot!" Vishus said angrily, continuing to creep Syd out with her sultry, yet evil, tone.

For a second, Syd's thoughts veered to the only cyborg she knew. Sophie had taken over as the Pink Ranger in her absence. It made even more sense now. Sophie was the most sophisticated robot that Syd had ever encountered. Lady Vishus was definitely a cyborg. As the pain around her throat occurred, Syd was brought back to her present predicament. Vishus was kneeling on her arms, preventing her from fighting back. The evil cyborg had now clamped her hands around Syd's neck, beginning to squeeze them together.

"Ahhh," Syd yelled in pain.

"Speaking of strange identities..." Vishus said, with a sly smile. "That was a neat trick with your hand back there. The last time I saw something like that it was coming from an undercover S.P.D. Officer!"

"I—I don't...know wha—what you...mean," Syd said, struggling to breath, and keep her identity secret.

"Of course you don't!" Vishus sneered. "But, no matter. Once I kill you, I'll find out the truth."

"Killing...Mia...didn't...do...that," Syd grunted.

"What?" Vishus said, a bit surprised at her statement.

Syd found her opening. Vishus' grip decreased a bit in her confusion. With one eye on the large computer monitor to her left, Syd used all of her strength to flip Vishus off of her arms. The two rolled over one another a few times, headed for the foot of the bed. Once Syd reached the edge, she used all of her weight to toss Vishus into the computer terminal, where she crashed through the screen. Syd watched closely as Vishus collapsed to the floor amidst the smoke and sparks from the computer's destruction.

Syd clutched her throat, catching her breath, as she stood up, once again looking down on her opponent. This time it appeared Vishus was down for the count. Syd took a deep breath.

"That was for you, Mia," Syd said aloud.

Within a second, Syd was grabbed forcefully from behind. As she felt her body being pulled backwards towards another, she identified the distinct smell of his cologne. Barrett Van Tigue was there. He clutched her close, with one hand around her mouth and the other tightly across her chest, locking both of her arms in his grip. Syd struggled, as she could feel his head next to her own.

"A valiant effort," Van Tigue whispered in her ear. "But, Vishus didn't kill Mia. I did!"

* * *

The Vanguard X towers were a mammoth structure of brilliant architecture. As Kat Manx crossed the large courtyard, passing under a giant "X," she glanced around, noticing the silence. It didn't surprise her. After all, some of the best scientific minds on Earth were employed there and they rarely took strolls outdoors. 

Pryce Jensen walked a few steps behind her, following her through the revolving door entrance to the towers. They entered the massive lobby, where Kat found herself once again taking in the view. The circular-shaped building was hollow in the middle, she saw, as she glanced up, seeing the ceiling ended at the glass roof, atop the building.

Pryce couldn't help but stare at his commanding officer, as she walked towards the front desk, wearing her black jumpsuit, along with heeled boots and a black vest that extended almost to the floor. He had always admired Kat's determination, her conviction and her ability to take command of any situation. It was getting her to admire him that was the problem.

He knew his cockiness annoyed her and it was his convictions to science that broke the building trust between them. But, he knew that the Delta X project could be useful. Being in the presence of their creators could only help prove his point, despite Kat's suspicions about the robots.

Moments after Kat had spoken with the front desk secretary, she turned and noticed him staring at her. Pryce immediately averted his gaze, a surprising tactic, given his earlier blunt flirtations. Kat almost grinned, but she had other things to deal with. She waited patiently, until she heard approaching footsteps from one of the inner hallways of the building.

Artim Grace, the Chairman of the company, walked right over to Kat. Pryce walked closer to her, as he saw him coming. Grace had his hand extended, even before his feet came to a stop.

"Commander Manx, so good to see you again," Grace said, looking a bit surprised. "I have to say, we weren't expecting a visit."

"Chairman Grace, thank you for coming down," Kat said. "I realize how busy everyone is. You remember Doctor Jensen?"

"Of course," Grace said, as he shook Pryce's hand. "What brings you here?"

"We need to talk," Kat said. "I think it might be better if we did so in private."

"Oh, well, we're very busy, as you said. I don't have much time to spare. I have meetings scheduled all day," Grace spoke, his brown eyes searching hers for some clue about her arrival.

"I completely understand," Kat said. "But it's very important."

After a few tense seconds, Artim Grace glanced at Dr. Jensen, almost hoping for some intervention from his fellow man. Jensen, however, merely smiled a bit, deferring to his boss.

"I guess I can spare a few minutes. Can we walk and talk?" Grace conceded.

"Sure," Kat said, as she kept pace with him, forcing Pryce to walk behind the two.

As they reached the elevator, Grace reached out a finger, summoning the lift.

"So, what can I do for you?" he asked Kat.

"We're in the middle of a very sensitive investigation," Kat explained. "We recently came across some photographs that have us puzzled."

"Photographs?" Grace said, as he took a breath. "Would you like our scientists to take a look at them?"

"Actually, I think your scientists have already seen them," Kat said, seriously. "The photos were schematics for the Delta X Series robots."

Grace looked surprised. The elevator reached the ground floor and opened. Kat entered without missing a beat. With Pryce right behind her, the two stood inside, staring at Grace, who seemed to be frozen in his place. After a moment, he entered the elevator. Pryce could easily feel the tension in the confined space.

"I don't...understand," Grace said, as his eyes seemed to search the floor.

"The subject of our investigation is Barrett Van Tigue," Kat said. "We know for a fact that he is in possession of these blueprints."

"I was the only person inside S.P.D. Earth with access to those plans," Pryce spoke up. "I didn't give them to him."

"Are you suggesting someone within Vanguard X did?" Grace said, tensely.

"There's no other explanation," Kat said.

"But...we don't have any dealings with Van Tigue. I can assure you that no one in this company would leak that kind of information," Grace said. "It would not only compromise our contracts with Space Patrol Delta, but it would serve no purpose."

"You said you have no dealings with Van Tigue, but you attended the fundraiser that he hosted for the company," Kat said, suspiciously. "Remember?"

"He was a charitable citizen," Grace said quickly. "As a scientist you know that in this day and age, grants have dried up. We look for social outlets to help spread the word about our company to drum up financial support."

"Well, it looks like you're very financially supported to me," Pryce said, sarcastically.

Kat put a hand up, gesturing for him to stay quiet.

"I don't know what you're suggesting, but I find it offensive," Grace said, nervously. "I don't know Mr. Van Tigue personally and I can tell you that he's never set foot inside this building. Vanguard X is not in the habit of giving out design information to those who are not members of this organization."

"I believe you," Kat said, giving him a gentle smile that caught Pryce off-guard.

He frowned.

"What?" Pryce said, unbelieving.

Kat shot him an angry glance, hushing him again. She turned back to Grace who was beginning to sweat. He seemed calmed by her words.

"Chairman Grace, we aren't here to accuse anyone. We just want answers. Now, Barrett Van Tigue has those schematics. We need to find out where they came from. If you can't help us, then maybe Dr. Jiang can," Kat stated. "After all, he was in charge of the project."

Grace found himself nervous once again.

"Dr. Jiang is a very busy man," Grace countered.

"Then, we'll make it quick," Kat said, as she pressed the emergency stop on the elevator. "Now, which floor is he on?"

* * *

"End it, Anubis! End it now!" Benaag yelled, as he found himself once again under the heavy blade of Doggie Cruger. 

Shadow Ranger stood above the escaped alien criminal, with his Saber S.W.A.T. Blaster cast down on his foe, who was now lying on the ground.

Cruger found himself once again thinking back to the fall of Sirius. It was Benaag who played a vital role in changing his life forever. Cruger would have loved to slash him out of existence in that moment.

"I'm not going back to that card, Cruger! So strike me down! We both know it's what you really want," Benaag said, his voice low and desperate. "No one will know. You can tell them all that I disappeared!"

"The souls buried here would know," Cruger said. "I would know. You helped lead an army to destroy my home—my life. Death would be too easy a fate for you, Benaag."

"You can feel the hatred in your heart, Anubis," Benaag continued to prod him. "I feel it too. Just set it free!"

As he saw Shadow Ranger's helmet shake a bit, Benaag knew he couldn't penetrate Cruger's steely resolve. He howled in anger, as he brought his cannon arm towards Shadow Ranger's helmet, hoping the quick attack would make his opponent lash out in anger. Benaag fired, but Cruger's reflexes were at their peak in S.W.A.T. mode. As quick as the blast escaped Benaag's arm, Cruger had already deflected it with his sword, sending it crashing to the ground in a huge explosion. Benaag staggered to his feet, as Cruger set his sights on ending their battle, once and for all.

"Shadow Ranger! Containment Slash!" Cruger yelled, as he swiped his sword at Benaag's chest, enveloping him in a barrage of sparks and smoke.

As the containment card flew out of the smoke, Cruger caught it in his morphed hand.

"Welcome home, Benaag," Cruger said, full of pride.

Inside the bunker, Isinia Cruger lay crumpled on the floor, clutching her stomach, which had just undergone the strain of giving birth. She managed to look up, despite the pain. She saw Shivan Sevarus walking closer towards her, wielding the syringe that had been used to kill Officer Hawk. She looked into his eyes and she saw sadness there. Pain and regret had made their home inside of him.

"Shivan, you don't have to do this," Isinia pleaded, as she saw his grip grow tighter around the needle. "We can help you. Anubis will—"

"Anubis isn't coming back!" Sevarus said, cutting her off. "You just don't get it! Benaag will destroy him."

"Benaag?" Isinia said, in shock.

"Don't you see?" Sevarus said, sadly, as he got even closer. "I'm saving you from a much worse fate."

"You're a doctor. You can't do this. There's another way. I know it," Isinia said.

"No...there isn't," Sevarus said, as his foot grazed hers on the floor.

He raised the syringe, with Isinia in his sights.

"I'm sorry," he said, in a whisper.

"I'm not!" a voice shouted from behind him.

Sevarus turned to see the Omega Ranger standing before him. His jaw dropped. Sam grabbed his hand, squeezing it so tight that the doctor dropped the poisonous needle on the floor.

Sam could feel an intense sense of accomplishment, knowing he had just saved Isinia again. But, his confidence was short-lived as his suit once again began to surge, sending sharp pains coursing through his body. Just as quickly as he had morphed, Sam's powers disappeared once again.

Seeing the teen staggering, Sevarus took his chance. He grabbed hold of Sam's throat, pushing him backwards into the wall, where he began trying to squeeze the life out of him, with his large paws.

"No!" Isinia yelled, as she climbed to her feet gingerly.

She tried to grab at Sevarus' arms, which caused the doctor to swipe her away, knocking her back to the floor. He turned his attentions back to Sam and ending his life any way he could.

* * *

"Where is he?" Trecineas spoke from his seat, as he looked to Delphine, who was seated at his right. 

The Aquitian Council representative shrugged, as she looked to the owner of the office, where the five Galactic Council members had met on Andruss III. Earth's Representative Alaina Doherty sat behind her desk in front of them all. She too looked troubled.

"I'm not sure. But Pheon wanted me to call you all here. He made it very clear that it was important," Doherty said.

"I can't help but notice that our Council President is absent as well," Urgundii spoke, seated to the right of Doherty's desk, next to Karina Kevlar.

"This appears to be another secret meeting," Kevlar added, her voice low, saddened.

Her Divalian spirit had been tested many times in the last weeks. Her people were fiercely honorable and going behind the back of their leader never sat well with her.

"We shouldn't jump to conclusions before hearing what Pheon has to say," Alaina said.

"It isn't too hard to guess," Trecineas said. "Especially after hearing his position at our last meeting."

"Do you really think Pheon will resign as representative for the Barconians?" Urgundii asked.

"If that is so, I hope we will be able to convince him not to give up," Delphine said, as the doors to Doherty's office slid open and Pheon entered, drawing everyone's attention.

Doherty was most struck by the determination in his step. He no longer seemed defeated, as most of them felt after their concerns about President Cali's recent actions. As he passed his fellow Council members, he headed for Doherty's desk, passing out small LCD pads to each one of the representatives as he passed them.

"Sorry I'm late," Pheon said. "I wanted to make sure I had enough copies for everyone."

"Copies?" Urgundii said, as he was handed his pad. "Copies of what?"

Pheon stopped at Doherty's desk, handing her the last extra LCD pad in his hand, keeping one for himself. Doherty read the first lines on the small screen aloud.

"Everything is going according to your plans. The containment code works perfectly. Not sure how long I can stay off their radar. If I neglect my work, they may get suspicious. I may have to return to Galaxy Command, as you promised," Doherty read, before looking to Pheon. "What is this?"

"It's a coded message that the Rangers of Earth managed to decipher. It was sent by their suspected spy," Pheon revealed.

"But...this sounds like the culprit was sending the message here to Galaxy Command," Delphine reasoned.

"It's true. Commander Manx sent me an entire data stream of information on the traitor. I've input all of the data into your pads," Pheon said, as his eyes passed by all of them until they rested on Karina Kevlar. "Including the identity of the spy."

They all scrolled through the information, until they found the name. The look of shock registered on Kevlar's face instantly.

"This cannot be," she said, in her cracking elderly voice. "Shivan Sevarus!"

"Yes," Pheon confirmed. "The message was encoded using an ancient dialect from Divalia."

"That's not evidence," Kevlar spoke, unbelieving.

"There's more," Doherty said, as she continued to read the information on her pad. Pheon nodded to her.

"The Ranger officers found security footage of Dr. Sevarus near their Containment Room around the time of each breach," Pheon revealed.

"I don't understand this," Urgundii said. "Why would Sevarus work against his own branch of S.P.D. and if this is all true, why hasn't he been arrested?"

Doherty let out a deep sigh.

"I know the answer to the latter question," she said. "Dr. Sevarus is on Sirius. He accompanied the Supreme Commander and his wife there for the birth of their children."

Pheon nodded along.

"And they haven't been heard from since," he added.

"You aren't really suggesting that Dr. Sevarus has done something that nefarious?" Kevlar said, upset. "It isn't in a Divalian's nature to be this treacherous."

"It sounds like he wasn't in this alone," Trecineas said, as he reread Sevarus' message. "He was working for someone...someone here."

As he glanced at Alaina Doherty, they both reached the same conclusion, which they were now sure was the reason Pheon asked them all to meet in Doherty's office in secret.

"Cali," Pheon said.

As the name escaped his lips, it hung in the air amongst them all. Every one of them was known for their intelligence and this information caught them all off-guard. The silence that followed Pheon's accusation lingered.

"Impossible," Urgundii finally spoke. "This is the highest form of treason. To plot against one's own organization makes no sense. Cali would have nothing to gain by hurting S.P.D. Earth."

"I agree that this is all hard to digest, but President Cali's behavior has been strange in recent months," Doherty said.

"His secret conversations with the Barconians still make no sense," Pheon said. "We need concrete answers and I believe that President Cali is involved with this. I have a gut feeling and I didn't know who else to bring it to."

"This is all highly disturbing," Delphine said.

"Until we have proof, we can't tell anyone about this, especially Cali," Trecineas said. "If he's not involved and we accuse him, we could be throwing the entire governing body of the Galactic Alliance into turmoil that none of our planets may recover from."

As they all nodded along with him, agreeing to secrecy, an alert from Doherty's desk sounded. She glanced over quickly to her communications panel and pressed the access button, which opened a line to her assistant's desk outside of her spacious office.

"Yes?"

"Madam Representative, I'm so sorry to disturb you but President Cali's assistant is here requesting to speak with you," her assistant announced, his tone even and confident as always.

The surprise on Doherty's face upon hearing this spread quickly throughout the room to the other Council members. What could Cali's assistant want? Doherty spoke into the communications panel once again.

"I'm in the middle of a meeting," Doherty said.

"She's aware of that, ma'am," her assistant spoke. "She's requested to speak with all of you."

The shock spread even further inside the room, as they were all dumbfounded as to how Tawke could have learned of their meeting. Doherty took her finger off the button, as she looked to her fellow Council members.

"Cali?" Trecineas wondered.

"I believe the humans have a saying for times like this," Delphine said, at his side. "We are screwed."

Doherty raised a hand to quiet them.

"I'll handle this," she said, as she pressed the communications button once again. "Send her in."

The doors to Doherty's office slid open and the green alien form of Tawke entered the office, appearing very serious, even more so than her usual demeanor. She looked to each of the Council representatives as she made her way towards Doherty's desk.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," she said, quietly, her nerves showing. "But I didn't know where else to go."

"Tawke, what is it?" Doherty asked, curiously. "Did President Cali send you here?"

"No," she said quickly. "The President doesn't know I'm here. I have friends in several departments. I found out you were all here and...it just seemed right after what I heard."

"What you _heard_?" Trecineas repeated.

"I overheard Representative Doherty and Urgundii speaking about your last meeting at the representative's home. I was going to inform the president of your plans...but when I went to him, I heard something much worse," Tawke said. "I didn't know who to tell, but then I realized that you all might have the same suspicions."

Sensing Tawke's internal conflict, Doherty walked over to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Tawke, what did you hear from Cali?" she asked the question that every one of them was dying to know the answer to.

* * *

As the doors to Command Central on Earth slid open, Bridge Carson walked slowly in. With his hands clasped behind his back, he was whistling an indistinct tune and attempting to look casual. As he passed Ghiren and Niyako working at their stations, on opposite sides of the doors, he saw that Kat wasn't at her desk. His acting attempt faded quickly, as a look of disappointment fell over his face. 

"Kat's not here?" he said, as his shoulders slumped.

"Commander Manx has left on business," Niyako said, as her hovering body turned to face Bridge.

"Oh...um...perfect," Bridge said.

"Perfect?" Ghiren said, as he turned to Bridge, looking confused.

"I mean...not perfect...for her. But, she is the Commander and things have been slow around here, so if there's business...then that's good...right?" Bridge said, confusing himself in the process.

"I guess that's one way of looking at it," Ghiren said, before turning back to his station.

"Is there a problem?" Niyako asked. "I can try to contact her."

"No!" Bridge said, waving his hands towards her. "Don't do that. I just...uh, wanted to tell Kat that I was taking the Rangers out—off—of Earth—but not far. Just to Onyx!"

"Onyx?" Niyako wondered why.

"Yeah," Bridge said. "Um, we heard some chatter regarding the Van Tigue investigation so we're gonna go check it out."

"All of the Rangers?" Ghiren asked.

"No. The cadets will be here. Can't leave the place unprotected," Bridge said. "But um...you guys can tell Kat when she gets back. No need to bug her now."

Bridge headed for the door.

"Officer Carson?" Niyako called out.

Bridge's eyes shut quickly. He knew they had seen right through him. He turned his head back to face them.

"Yeah."

"Good luck," Niyako said simply, as her small round body turned back to her station.

"Thanks," Bridge said with a smile.

As the doors to Command Central closed behind him, he whipped open his morpher and made a call.

"Z, where are you?"

A corridor away, Z Delgado had her morpher now drawn, answering his call.

"On my way to Jensen's lab. What's up?"

"Things went better than I expected," Bridge said. "Kat's away on business."

"Great," Z said, as she turned a corner. "Sounds like we might just be able to pull this off."

"Yeah," Bridge responded. "There's just one more thing I need you to pick up from the laboratory."

"Whatever you need, fearless leader," Z said, with a smirk.

After ending her conversation with Bridge, Z entered Dr. Jensen's lab, surprised to see he wasn't around...at least that she could see.

"Dr. Jensen, are you here?" Z said, covering in case he was out of her sight.

When she didn't get an answer, she sighed.

"Perfect," Z said, as she walked over to the far wall and began pressing buttons on the wall.

Each button caused a hatch to slid out from the wall, revealing several gadgets and contraptions that Dr. Jensen had been working on. When she hit the third button, her eyes lit up. She pulled out a black backpack and looked inside. She smiled.

"A goody bag with everything I need already packed and ready to go," Z said to herself. "You, Dr. Jensen, are definitely sticking around."

Z grabbed three more of the packs, which were all identical in design. She placed them on the floor, as she looked around.

"Now to fulfill Bridge's request," Z said, as she began walking meticulously around the lab. "Hmm."

She looked curiously around the room until her eyes stopped on a small hatch in the wall, underneath the familiar S.P.D. insignia. She walked over to it and noticed that it didn't open automatically like all of the others. This one required a code. Thankfully, she had top-level security clearance. She keyed in her code and the hatch slid open. She smiled, as she reached inside and pulled out a large metal briefcase, which also bore the S.P.D. logo. She opened the case.

"Bingo!" Z said, as she reached inside and lifted out the black Delta morpher inside. "I hope Sky's ready for this."

She grabbed one of the backpacks from the floor and tucked the morpher away inside. As she did so, her eyes fell on another object inside of that suitcase. It was the Nova morpher. She thought back to her last conversation with Syd in the company of the future Nova Ranger.

"_You don't have much time," Z said. "Are you sure you should be going back to Lincoln Grove?"_

"_I have to," Syd said, as she glanced in the back seat at Anna, who then maneuvered her narrow body into the front seat, by climbing across it._

Z frowned a bit as she realized she hadn't heard from Syd since then. She truly hoped that she had gotten Anna to a safe place, away from Barrett Van Tigue. Seeing the Nova morpher in that case managed to get her worried. Z closed the case and returned it to its hatch. As she made her way back to the packs on the floor, she pulled her cellphone from a hidden pocket of her uniform. She dialed a number and was more unsettled to hear Syd's voicemail.

"Hey, it's me," Z said, as she began gathering the four backpacks. "I hope everything's safe. Look, I've got to go help Bridge with some Ranger stuff."

She had thought twice about telling Syd that Bridge was planning to help Sky on Fenix Prime. But, Bridge was right. Syd had her job to do and telling her about Sky would only make her position even harder. Z sighed.

"Call me when you can...and if you need some help while I'm gone, just make your way home, okay," Z said, as she exited the laboratory to finish her message.

* * *

Given the silent ring, Syd never heard Z's call. As her cell remained tucked in her back pocket, she violently struggled in an attempt to break free from a murderer's grip. With all of her might she yanked her arms away from Barrett and immediately connected to his stomach with a powerful kick. Barrett flew back as though he was being pulled on wires. Against his will he continued to soar through the air, smashing into the dry wall of a wall which slowed him to a painful halt. As Van Tigue looked through the dent his body had created in the wall, he saw her staring directly at him. 

"This ends here," Syd said, stepping towards him.

"I think you're right," mocked Barrett, jumping to his feet.

As Barrett charged for Syd she lunged herself into the air and landed behind him. Sydney's speed took Barrett by surprise, giving her the chance to pick up a piece of broken glass from the floor. She threw it at him with all of her might. The glass spun through the air and tore through the right sleeve of Barrett's shirt.

"Ah," he cried as he saw blood on his arm. "You're going to pay for that."

"That's what Vishus thought too," Syd said, angrily.

The two charged for one another but this time Barrett was ready for his enemy. The moment she was close enough, Barrett jolted his foot directly into Syd's stomach, forcing her to bend down. Barrett smirked to himself as he grabbed the back of Sydney's shirt and swung her across the room. Syd hit the opposite wall, falling to the floor.

"How does that feel?" he mocked, dragging her to her feet by her blond curls.

Barrett held her against wall by the throat.

"Look at me!" he demanded, pressing his forehead against hers. "Betrayal doesn't look good on you, my dear."

Out of nowhere a sudden adrenaline rush ran through Syd's body. She thrust both of her hands in to Barrett's chest, pushing him backwards. She took advantage of her newly discovered energy. Mia's spirit had empowered her. As Barrett came towards Syd again, she clenched her teeth in sheer disgust. Quickly, she grabbed the large lamp nearby and swung at Barrett's face. Syd held the lamp up high and slammed it towards him with all of her might. She let out a loud scream, releasing her hatred for Barrett. Sooner than expected the lamp stopped. Syd snarled as she saw that Barrett had caught hold of it. He pulled the lamp from Sydney's hands and threw it to the floor. Syd looked up, where she noticed a piece of exposed piping traveling across the ceiling.

"Ha!" she yelped as she defied gravity and lunged for the pipe.

She held on tight and swung directly for Barrett. As soon as she was close enough she let go and forward rolled through the air twice. To Barrett's surprise, Syd wrapped both legs around his neck and clenched tight. She swung her body backwards and rolled through Barrett's legs tossing him to the floor and leaving her powerfully in control on top of him.

"Get off of me," he ordered, grabbing both of her arms and throwing her to one side.

Syd got fully to her feet, but Barrett had beat her. He grabbed a hold of her, squeezing tighter, pulling her close to him. She stared directly in to Barrett's eyes, though this time they were trembling with fear.

"Please," she begged, clutching both sides of Barrett's arms weakly. "Don't hurt me…"

A glimmer of light in Syd's hands caught Barrett's attention. Syd had touched Barrett's wound created by the glass. For a moment, his admiration for her had returned. She was reaching out to him, in fear, just like Mia.

What Barrett didn't realize was that the traces of glass inside his wound allowed Sydney to transform her hand into a powerful glass weapon. She held her clenched fist high in to the air and brought it down with every last bit of energy in her body. Her glass fist connected with Barrett's face. On immediate connection Barrett's head snapped back. His face, nose and mouth were covered with blood. He weakly fell to his knees. He looked up to see Syd's glass hand coming for him once more.

"Now it's over!" she cried.

The blow sent Barrett falling backwards to the floor. Within seconds Syd's hand had returned to it's normal state. She looked down on the body of Barrett and sneered.

"Two can play that game," a familiar voice called out from behind Syd.

Syd turned around to see Vishus holding a large wooden chair above her. Vishus did not hesitate in throwing it at her enemy. The chair collided with Syd's head. She fell to the floor helplessly laid next to the body of Barrett Van Tigue.

"Sleep tight, Goldilocks," mocked Vishus as she glared down at Sydney, laughing through the exposed circuitry of her face.

* * *

"I must preface this by saying that I never intended to listen in to President Cali's conversation. I believe in having the utmost privacy, especially amongst the Council," Tawke said, anxiously. 

"Tawke, your loyalty isn't in question here," Doherty said. "Please...tell us what has you so troubled."

Tawke took a deep breath as she glanced up at Doherty.

"I went into President Cali's office to tell him about the Council's meeting behind his back. As I said, I'm fiercely loyal to him. But, when I entered I overheard a conversation he was having...with Commander Trixx," Tawke explained, as her eyes veered towards Trecineas.

"What?" he said, in shock.

"I was as surprised as you are," Tawke said. "President Cali told Commander Trixx that he intended to restore him to his position on Triforia...once the Galactic Council was dissolved."

"I don't believe this," Urgundii said.

"I knew it," Pheon said. "All of our suspicions were correct."

"Suspicions?" Tawke repeated.

"We can't jump to conclusions," Karina said. "We've been just as secretive as Cali has."

"Still, Karina, you have to admit that something more is going on here," Pheon said, angrily. "We know for a fact that Cali has been speaking with the Barconians without telling me. I'm their representative, not him. Now, we discover that he's been conspiring with Commander Trixx, despite his treachery in the Barconian convoy incident. Something's not right."

"I agree," Doherty said. "But we have to handle this situation delicately. Evidence has to be our top priority if we intend to face the president. Tawke, we may need your help."

"Yes ma'am," Tawke agreed.

"And we can't forget about the Supreme Commander," Delphine said. "Dr. Sevarus may be dangerous."

Doherty let out a sigh, wondering how she could help Commander Cruger, given that he was seemingly out of communications range.

* * *

On Sirius, Sam could feel his breaths quickening, as he struggled to fully intake air. Sevarus' large hands gripped his throat tightly. It only took one of the alien's massive palms to completely torture Sam's throat, but the doctor was now using two. Sam instinctively twisted the throttle on his morpher, trying to get the Omega morpher to power up again, but it was no use. The device seemed to be completely devoid of use. 

"I'm sorry," Sevarus said, in a whisper, as he looked into Sam's eyes.

Sevarus turned to see Isinia was down on the floor, still clutching her stomach. She managed to move her lips enough to form words.

"Stop—the...future. He—is," Isinia muttered.

Sevarus turned back to Sam, knowing that killing him would greatly affect their timeline, given that Sam was to grow up to fully become the Omega Ranger. Sevarus began to twitch. His grasp began to weaken. Killing this boy might end everyone's future on Earth. It was a conflict that he would never get to fully realize, as another strong arm grabbed his away from Sam's throat. Sevarus turned to see that it belonged to Shadow Ranger.

"Commander!" Sevarus yelled.

"What have you done!?!" Cruger yelled beneath his helmet, as he saw his wife on the floor.

With the weight of Sevarus' hands no longer at his throat, Sam fell to the floor. Cruger grabbed Sevarus by the throat, throwing him across the room. The doctor collided with Isinia's bed before crashing to the hard floor. Cruger knelt at his wife's side.

"Isinia? Are you all right?"

"The pups," she whispered.

Cruger looked back up at her bed, seeing one of Sevarus' hands grasping at the piece of furniture, looking for a spot to grip to help him to his feet. Cruger stormed over to Sevarus, grabbing him by the shoulders and slamming him up against the wall.

"Why? Why would you do this?" Cruger yelled, his voice full of rage.

"Anubis—I—I'm sorry. I had no choice."

"Doggie!" Isinia managed to call out, penetrating the fury inside his head. "Our children!"

"They're okay," Doggie said, as he nodded his head towards Sam, who was beginning to stir on the floor near Isinia. "Sam saved them."

Isinia crawled over to the teenager, trying to help him wake further.

"Commander," Sam said upon hearing Doggie's voice.

"It's all right Sam," Doggie said, not letting up on the grip he had on Sevarus' throat.

Cruger never thought he would ever treat his old friend this way. But, he also never thought his old friend would betray him the way he had.

"You can't—don't let the anger control you," Sevarus said, struggling to breathe.

"Anubis," Isinia called out again. "He's not worth it."

"Go!" Cruger yelled to her. "Both of you!"

"What?" Isinia said, surprised.

"Go now!" Cruger said again. "Sam, take Isinia to the children. They need you."

Sam nodded, still groggy from Sevarus' attempt to strangle him. He grabbed Isinia's arm with one hand and waved his other over them both, causing them to teleport away. Now left alone with Sevarus, Cruger turned his sights on him again.

"You killed Aaron Hawk. You tried to kill my wife and Sam!" Cruger sneered. "How far would you have gone? Would you have destroyed the future? What about my children? Would you have killed them as well? Answer me!"

"I had no choice," Sevarus said, still under the oppressive grip of Shadow Ranger.

"We all have choices," Cruger said. "You made the wrong one! Now, you're going to pay!"

"I understand," Sevarus said, accepting the threats. "I deserve your wrath."

"Why? Why did you do it?" Cruger said, as he slammed Sevarus back against the wall again in anger. "Tell me!"

"I was ordered to," Sevarus said simply.

"What?"

"President Cali...he ordered me to bring your family here, to keep you here and then to eliminate them," Sevarus admitted.

"How could he? How could you?"

"I was forced to follow my orders," Sevarus said. "I hate myself for doing it, but if I disobeyed, he guaranteed that I would die."

Cruger released Sevarus' body, which crashed to the floor. Cruger turned his morphed body away from him, as he stared at the floor, struggling to steady his own breathing.

"You are a disgrace," Cruger said, never turning to face him. He wasn't worth it anymore.

"I know that," Sevarus said, as he grabbed the syringe of poison he had dropped. "I'm sorry my friend."

"You have no right to address me as friend," Cruger said. "You betrayed everything that our friendship was based upon. It's a betrayal that I'll never forget."

As Sevarus heard the words, they cut deeper than his Shadow Saber ever could. He gasped, as he plunged the poisonous needle into his own arm, injecting the blue fluid into his body. As he began to shake violently from the reaction, Cruger turned and saw. It slowly walked to Sevarus side, where he saw the needle still stuck in his forearm.

In that moment, Cruger didn't know what to do. He remained standing, as he watched Sevarus' life force fade away.

"Power down," Cruger said, as his power suit dissolved.

He wanted Sevarus to see into his eyes as he died, to see the hatred that resided there, along with the pity and the disappointment. As he noticed Sevarus' breathing stopped, Cruger bent down and closed the alien's eyes for the last time. He returned to his feet and turned away from him. Cruger walked slowly to the exit, not stopping to turn back again.

* * *

Inside the Myers Detention Facility on Fenix Prime, Sky Tate was caught off-guard by the sudden entrance of light in his solitary confinement cell. As the doors opened, he cowered, covering his eyes, which had become used to the darkness surrounding him. Within seconds he felt the force of two massive beings grabbing at his arms. As he was pulled out into the corridor, he opened his eyes as far as he could, seeing that it was Wootox and Slate who had grabbed hold of him. 

"What are you doing?" Sky yelled.

"Escorting you to your demise," Sinuku cackled, as they continued on their way.

After a few minutes traveling along the corridors of the prison, Sky found himself heading into familiar territory. Up ahead was the large prison cafeteria. When he turned the corner towards the entrance, he noticed his former cellmate being dragged down the opposite corridor, heading towards the same place. Giganus and Slate were pulling along Cash against his will. He and Sky practically bumped into one another at the entrance to the cafeteria.

"You just can't seem to stay away can you?" Sky said to Cash, sarcastically.

"Is this the thanks I get for defending your honor, Tate?"

"Very funny," Sky said, as their tormentors pushed them into the cafeteria.

Standing on top of one of the long tables was Morgana, still dressed in her prison guard uniform and matching baseball cap. She had both hands on her hips, staring at the two new arrivals.

"Gentlemen!" she shouted. "Welcome to the end!"

Sky and Cash both looked around, not understanding Morgana's plan at all.

"What are you up to now, Morgana?" Sky yelled, through gritted teeth.

Morgana hopped off the table and sauntered over to Sky, smirking.

"Just plotting your destruction," she said to his face.

"So you two do know each other?" Cash said, sarcastically looking at both of them.

"Not for much longer I'm afraid," Morgana said, as she smiled.

She turned her back on the two and began speaking as if she was planning his post-death analysis.

"You see, Sky Tate's life has come to a rather tragic end. After the devastating guilty verdict and prison sentence, Sky was unable to adjust to the hardships of prison. So, one day, overcome with the memories of his father and the mental torment of his father's killer, he snapped!" Morgana explained, as she turned back towards Sky. "He killed the head prison guard."

Morgana pointed at Giganus, as she continued to speak.

"The body of another prisoner was so mangled and dismembered by Tate that he was unidentifiable!" Morgana said, with a wink. "The murder spree sent him over the edge until he finally ended it all, killing himself and leaving behind a tarnished legacy that will never recover."

"Sounds pretty twisted if you ask me," Sky said.

"Not to mention fictional," Cash added.

"Oh, but it is the truth...or at least it will be," Morgana said, as she sauntered back over to them. "There's just one part that I left out and it's why I've brought you both here now. You see, the final straw for Sky Tate was when he killed his cellmate and new buddy, Cash Donovan!"

Sky and Cash glanced at one another, both looking confused. They looked back at Morgana together.

* * *

The darkness that had invaded Sydney Drew's head, since she had been struck viciously with a chair in Syren Dean's apartment, began to fade. As her eyes fluttered open, Syd realized that her hands were bound above her with rope. As her eyes opened fully she looked up seeing that the rope was attached to a thick chain, which had her suspended several feet off the ground. She looked down at her dangling legs. She struggled to try to free herself when she heard footsteps echoing through the large structure. She twisted herself around to look. Out of the shadows, she saw Barrett Van Tigue and Lady Vishus appear. 

"Let me down, now!" Syd yelled.

"You're in no position to give orders, sweetie," Vishus said, her cybernetic cheek still exposed.

"My S.P.D. badge says differently!" Syd said, finally revealing herself to them.

"I knew it!" Vishus said, as she waved her cane up at Syd. "It's time to destroy her!"

Vishus quickly separated her cane from the thing sword that rested inside of it. Before she could walk towards the hanging S.P.D. agent, Van Tigue had already lifted an arm, blocking her way.

"Not so fast, V," Barrett said, as he walked a bit closer to where Syd was hanging. "I really am sad at how this all turned out. I thought you were different. Then again, I thought Mia was different. Turns out the two of you are much more alike than I could have ever imagined and you're both going to suffer the same fate. My plans for Earth will not be compromised and I'm afraid that means you're going to have to die."

The look of intense anger made its home on Syd's face, as she cast her stare down on Barrett Van Tigue. The daggers in her eyes were sharp as ever, but escape would be harder and there was no angry glance that would help her break free from her restraints.

* * *

Three blocks away from S.P.D. Earth's auxiliary station, Bridge Carson waited patiently, his black pack strapped to his back. He held another of the packs, as he glanced to his sides. Quinn Gray and Z Delgado were each standing by him, along with the robotic patrol hound, Murphy, as they anxiously awaited their ride to Fenix Prime. Sophie had contacted them to tell them that she had secured the perfect transport. 

"You ready for this?" Quinn asked.

"Always," Z answered quickly.

In between them, Bridge took a deep breath.

"I just have to keep telling myself that this is the right thing to do," he said.

"It is," Z said, as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

At that moment they heard Murphy's bark, as a rumbling sound seemed to approach, getting louder by the second. They all looked off in the distance, just as the large vehicle came roaring around the corner, heading straight for them. With Sophie behind the wheel, the Blast Buggy came to a screeching halt right in front of the other Rangers. Within seconds, the hatch to the vehicle was open and Sophie was waiting to greet them.

"So, what do you think of my wheels?" she said, with a smile.

"I think we're gonna be in deep trouble when Kat finds out you took the keys," Quinn said.

"Then we better make it quick," Z said, with a wink, as she entered followed by Quinn.

Bridge approached the doorway, as Murphy hopped inside. He turned and looked at the spot where he knew the auxiliary station was. Because of the buildings, he couldn't see the smaller structure, but he had many memories of the Delta Command Base that had once sat in that spot. So much had changed on Earth, he thought. But this time, Bridge wasn't going to allow himself to be changed. He was taking charge and finally standing up for what he believed to be right.

"You coming?" Sophie asked.

Bridge glanced at her and nodded his head.

"Let's roll out," he said.

A minute later, the Blast Buggy was picking up speed along the streets of Newtech City, until the craft lifted off of the ground. The vehicle's four wheels turned ninety degrees, as the thrusters were engaged, sending the craft zipping into the stars of space.

* * *

Down in Newtech City, Kat was surprised as the Chairman of Vanguard X had led her and Pryce into his office, not the office of Dr. Jiang. Kat stood frustrated. 

"I trust that Dr. Jiang will be joining us," she said, sternly.

"Commander Manx, I assure you that there's been a grave mistake here," Artim Grace attempted to reason with her.

"I was just thinking the exact same thing," Kat said. "If you're not going to take us to see Dr. Jiang, then we'll just have to find him on our own."

Kat nodded to Pryce, as she turned to head back to the door to Grace's office. The chairman grabbed her arm, preventing her from leaving.

"Stop," he said.

"Hey, hands off!" Pryce said, quickly gripping the dark-skinned man's wrist, pulling it away from Kat's arm.

Grace, now angered, yanked his arm from Pryce's grip. The two men got close to one another, both staring each other down, as Kat stepped between them, pushing Pryce away.

"I don't need you to defend me," Kat said, as she turned back to Artim Grace. "Chairman Grace, you're obviously hiding something. I suggest you tell us what's going on around here, or I will find the answers myself, whether you like it or not."

"I can't let you do that," Grace said, as his patience seemed to disappear.

"You don't have any choice," Kat said, as she tried to leave again.

This time Grace grabbed at her arms with both of his hands. Kat fought against his grip, but the man refused to let go. As he squeezed tighter, Kat was surprised at the strength of his grasp, given his middle-age and his thin stature.

"Hey!" Pryce said, angrily, as he grabbed at Grace's arms, trying to force him to let go of Kat again.

The three continued to sway around the office, each jockeying for power and control of the situation.

"Chairman Grace, let go of me, now!" Kat said.

Seeing the utter disdain and anger on his face was beginning to scare Pryce Jensen, as he felt they were quickly losing control of the situation and someone was about to get hurt. Once the chairman's grip got too painful, a hiss of anger came from Kat's mouth. She used all of her strength to whip her arms into the air, breaking free of Grace's grip. As his arms flew into the air along with hers, she planted her heeled boot into his stomach, sending him flying backwards.

Kat fell to the floor, as Artim Grace's back collided with a wall, shattering a framed painting that hung there. Grace fell to the ground, as Pryce rushed to Kat's side.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Kat said angrily, as he helped her to her feet.

Kat's gaze fell on Artim Grace and the look of anger on her face disappeared, replaced by uncertainty, as she noticed Grace wasn't moving, as he lay amongst the shattered glass of the picture frame. Kat and Pryce rushed to his sides, where they examined his head, which had collided with the glass frame.

As they looked closer, they noticed several shards of glass sticking out of the chairman's skull, but there was no blood.

"What in the world?" Kat said, surprised.

As Pryce pulled one of the large pieces of glass from Grace's head, they were both shocked to see the metal circuitry that had replaced the man's brain.

"He's a cyborg," Pryce revealed, as he gave Kat a disturbed look.

"What is going on around here?" Kat said.

* * *

Inside the underground zord bay beneath the S.P.D. Earth auxiliary station, the four members of B-Squad were all soaking wet, deep in dirt and zord grease. As Cadet Casey Parker descended a ladder that had allowed her to reach the S.W.A.T. Flyers on the top level, she tossed her rag on the floor of the bay and sighed. 

"Okay, I'm officially sick of this," she said.

"Join the club," Cadet Meg Thurman called from above.

"It's not so bad," Duc said, as he continued to wax Delta Runner 4 near where Casey was standing. "We're paying our debt to society."

"More like our debt to Kat," Casey corrected.

"I agree with Duc," Cadet Boom called out from the upper level, where he was cleaning S.W.A.T. Flyer 2. "I can remember many a day in the old zord bay, making sure that the zords were in tip-top shape."

"Our powers aren't even compatible with the S.W.A.T. Flyers," Meg said.

"But the Delta Runners are totally ours," Boom added.

"What's the point of having them in sparkling condition if we never use them?" Meg said.

At that moment, the emergency alarms sounded, echoing down upon them from above.

"It never fails," Casey said, as she began climbing the ladder again, joined by Duc. "Every time Meg says that..."

Duc couldn't help but smile, as they reached their comrades and rushed off towards the hatch that would lead them up into the auxiliary station.

Moments later, the four members of B-Squad trotted into Command Central, surprised to see Kat was absent. They turned their attentions to Ghiren and Niyako, who were still on-duty there.

"What's going on?" Meg asked.

"There's trouble approaching the center of the city," Ghiren called out. "We're getting several emergency reports stemming all the way from Eastern Newtech."

"Let's see it," Casey said, as B-Squad stared at the large viewing monitor on the wall to their right.

Within seconds, it lit up, showing their nemesis Prax, cackling happily, as he trudged towards the center of town. He wasn't dressed to impress like he normally was. This time, Prax was outfitted with silver fighting armor. B-Squad watched as he had two matching blasters in his hand, using them to fire on anything moving.

As he advanced out of the frame of the live feed, they saw that Prax wasn't alone. Duc's demeanor changed in an instant, as he saw who was behind Prax.

"Blaze," Duc said, furiously.

The cyborg was following Prax, pulling small explosives from a pack on his back. He tossed the detonated bombs into nearby buildings, cars and buses, igniting them in an instant.

"Oh no," Casey said, sadly.

B-Squad was shocked again to see there were more behind Prax and Blaze. These were more familiar faces that caught them all off-guard.

"What in the world?" Boom said, looking confused. "It's Huragi, the monster that helped Blaze on Fernovia! We contained him."

"It looks like he escaped," Duc said, upset that he could no longer get a good look at Blaze.

"He didn't do it alone either," Meg said, as she pointed to the monitor, which now showed Relliot, the first criminal this B-Squad captured after receiving their new powers.

Trailing behind Relliot was Rubexa, the criminal who had been set free from containment by Dr. Sevarus. Rubexa had been recaptured, but now appeared to be free again as well.

"This doesn't make any sense," Casey said. "We saw all of their cards!"

"Where's Kat?" Duc said, as he turned to Niyako.

"She is attending to business on the other side of town. I've been unable to contact her. I'm still trying," Niyako said.

"Four alien monsters and a cyborg," Casey announced. "I'd say this is one we could use some help on."

As the others nodded along, they looked to Ghiren, who shook his head.

"I'm sorry but Officer Carson and the other Rangers have left Earth," Ghiren explained.

"No Kat, no Ranger backup," Meg deduced quietly.

As the four members of B-Squad watched their city under attack, they realized that the only thing standing between those alien forces and the complete destruction of Newtech City was B-Squad. Boom took a deep breath.

"Uh oh," he said.

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Flight"**

_B-Squad faces their biggest test, as Newtech City is under  
fire from Van Tigue's allies. Cruger escapes Sirius with his  
family, setting his sights on the Galactic Council President.  
Syd's predicament gets more dangerous, as Barrett reveals  
his plans for Earth and an unlikely soul watches. Bridge and  
his crew mount a rescue to save Sky and Cash. But, once they  
get into the detention facility, can they get back out alive?_


	19. Flight

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"FLIGHT"**

As he paced back and forth inside the cockpit of Benaag's shuttle, Sam tried to ignore the stench that the alien criminal had left behind. It was even more difficult because he had been trying to ignore the fear in his mind regarding Doggie Cruger, who had not yet arrived.

As Sam gently rubbed his neck, he worried that Sevarus may have tried to attack Doggie with that syringe of poison. Sam never doubted Cruger's ability to protect himself, but he could sense the rage boiling inside the Sirian when he left him inside the bunker. Sam glanced over to the pilot's seat where Isinia Cruger cradled her two newborns.

"Maybe I should go back?" Sam said, quietly to her, as not to disturb the pups. "Just to check on him?"

It appeared that Isinia hadn't acknowledged his question. Her eyes never left her children as he spoke. But when a light sigh left her breath, he knew that she had indeed been listening. She had to be even more worried about Cruger than he was. She slowly looked over to him.

"He'll be here," Isinia said, simply.

What she didn't say to Sam was that she hoped that Cruger would return with his honor intact. Even while morphed, she could hear the hatred in her husband's voice when he spoke with Sevarus and it scared her. She hoped that he would not stoop to the doctor's level.

"Yeah," Sam said, his voice filled with disappointment. "I probably couldn't help him anyway."

Sam turned away from her, staring down at the Omega morpher on his wrist. He had tried to embrace his destiny and it failed him. He frowned, as he placed his other hand over the morpher. He closed his eyes and for a moment, he thought of teleporting the device to the far reaches of space.

"Worthless," Sam said, his voice low enough that no human could hear.

But Sirians were not humans. Isinia heard the teenager's lament and was about to speak, to try to comfort him. Then, the doors to the shuttlecraft slid open and they both saw Doggie Cruger standing before them, carrying something large, wrapped inside a white sheet. Isinia instantly bowed her head, fearing that her husband had given in to retribution. The thought, however, had never crossed Sam's mind for he recognized the sheet. He nodded to Cruger, who walked further inside.

"Officer Hawk deserved better than to be left behind," Cruger said, sadly, as he walked past Sam and entered the large rear compartment of the shuttle, to store the body.

Sam looked back at Isinia and saw the light had returned to her eyes. Moments later, Cruger returned to the cockpit, glancing at his children and wife. He patted Sam on the shoulder.

"We have to get back to Andruss III," Cruger said. "President Cali may be responsible for what's happened here. If he is, I want to know why."

Sam & Isinia both looked confused at the news. Isinia slid into the co-pilot's chair, as Cruger activated the shuttle's controls.

"What about Dr. Sevarus?" Sam asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Cruger took a deep breath.

"Shivan...won't be coming with us," Cruger said, as he lifted the shuttle into space.

* * *

Back on Earth, B-Squad Cadet Boom stared at the monitor inside Command Central, as Prax and his fighting force were attacking Newtech City. Shaking his head repeatedly, he turned and looked back at his B-Squad teammates.

"This is not good. Not good!" Boom said, as he began to panic.

"Boom, calm down," Casey said, as she tried to show some form of confidence.

To her comrades and friends, however, the nerves they were all feeling were still evident on her face as much as theirs.

"We just have to remember our training," Casey said, as she appeared to be deep in thought. "In emergencies like this, we're supposed to contact our nearest superior. The Officers are gone, so we need to call Kat."

Niyako turned to the cadets, as her slender fingers finished sequencing a command into the communications station.

"I've been trying to alert Commander Manx since the first emergency call came in," Niyako explained. "I'm still getting no response."

"That doesn't make any sense," Boom said, his breathing intensifying. "Kat would never go out of communications range without telling us."

"Forget the rule book!" Meg shouted to her friends. "Why don't we just go out there and kick their butts back into their containment cards?"

"If you haven't noticed, _Mega_ Meg, that's four aliens who all gave us problems before...when they were on their own!" Casey retorted to her roommate. "We can't handle all of them by ourselves."

As the three B-Squadders countered each other's statements, the fourth member of the squad couldn't take his eyes off the monitor, which now showed the cyborg Blaze casually tossing a small explosive into a parked car, which ignited, sending the vehicle spiraling through the air in a barrage of fire. His eyes narrowed on the being that destroyed his parents.

"We have to go," Duc said, the fury in his voice was apparent to them all.

He turned to them.

"Now!" he said. "We don't have time to wait. We're the only hope this city has."

Boom closed his eyes nervously, as he took a deep breath. Duc walked up to Casey, looking deep into her eyes. She tried to steal some of the resolve inside of him for herself. She nodded, as she turned to Ghiren and Niyako near the doorway.

"Keep trying to contact Kat and the Rangers," Casey said, as she turned to her teammates and grabbed her morpher. "Ready?"

After a moment of silence passed between them, the other three unholstered their morphers, swinging them up to the side of their faces.

"Ready!" the three shouted together.

At that moment, an alert sound grew louder from the communications station.

"We're getting an incoming transmission," Niyako yelled to the cadets, halting their morphing call. "...from Galaxy Command."

"Thank god," Boom said, breathing a sigh of relief that drew the attention of his comrades. "Patch it through."

The four cadets watched the main monitor on the wall, as the image of the monster attack was replaced by a surprising face.

"President Cali?" Meg said, looking confused.

"B-Squad, we've just been alerted to the attacks on Earth," Cali said, his tone even and commanding. "What's your status?"

"Uh, Commander Manx is away at the moment and the other Rangers are gone to Onyx," Boom said. "We're the only ones here."

"We were just about to respond, sir," Casey added.

"Then it's good that I caught you," Cali said. "We have been preparing for an invasion of this kind. Given your reduced resources, I'm ordering you to use the Delta X robot reserves."

The four members of B-Squad exchanged confused looks.

"Um, sir," Boom said. "Commander Manx discontinued that project."

"Commander Manx halted research at the Earth S.P.D. station. However, the work on the robots has continued under the direction of Galaxy Command. We've worked all of the bugs out of them. A contingent of robots should be arriving at your location in minutes," Cali explained. "Use them and bring in those criminals. That's an order."

With that, Cali signed off, leaving B-Squad with even more questions.

* * *

_As the blood dripped from the gaping wound on his chest, Cash Donovan lay lifeless in the cafeteria of the Myers Detention Facility, his mouth and eyes still open in shock and protest at the atrocity that had just been committed. Standing over the body was Sky Tate, fallen S.P.D. Officer and former Red Ranger. As he held the knife he had just used to kill his cellmate, Sky's eyes too looked lifeless. He had just shed blood in anger and disillusion. _

"_What have I done?"_

_As his eye began to twitch, he raised the bloody dagger to his face, seeing Cash's blood falling from the blade into his hand. Sky dropped the weapon and looked to the ceiling of the prison, crying out through his dementia. _

_As he dropped to his knees, his eyes fell again on Cash Donovan's bloody corpse. His crimes had finally begun to sink in. Sky picked the knife back up into his hand, gripping it as hard as he could. He pointed the blade at his own chest and began thrusting it into his body, repeatedly, making the weapon even bloodier._

As she opened her eyes, Morgana couldn't help but giggle at the fate she had in mind for Sky. While she knew that he would never willingly kill himself, she knew that her alien friends would have a lot of fun taking turns stabbing him in just the right spots to make sure that all of the authorities would conclude that Sky had indeed committed suicide and killed Cash Donovan just before.

Morgana gave a content sigh, as she turned in the cafeteria, wearing her brown guard's uniform. She tossed her hat aside, allowing her hair to flow freely for the first time since she entered the prison. She looked at Sky and Cash. Both men were strapped down on top of two cafeteria tables. Morgana slyly walked between the two tables, which were side by side.

"Gentlemen, are we comfy? Any last requests before we end this?" Morgana asked, with a crazed smile.

"Yeah," Sky said, as he looked to Giganus, Wootox, Slate and Sinuku who were watching nearby. "Kill them first."

Wootox tried to lunge at Sky, but Sinuku and Giganus restrained him. Giganus patted his back.

"All in good time, my friend," Giganus said.

Sky shook his head. Morgana gave him a small slap across the face.

"Play nice!" she yelled right in Sky's ear.

On the other table, Cash didn't know what to think of his current situation. He leaned his head back, taking a deep breath. As his eyes explored the upper level of the prison, they rested on the large glass window that looked down upon the cafeteria from the warden's office. It was dark inside the office, except for a small orange light glowing inside. It was a lighted cigar, Cash thought to himself. It was then that he realized Gaines was watching them.

"Son of a bitch," he said quietly, before shouting, "You're gonna pay for this, Gaines! You hear me?"

Cash struggled in his restraints as he saw the cigar light disappear.

"Boys," Morgana said, as she rejoined her criminal crew, smiling. "So hostile! Well, I guess it makes sense given how you're about to die and all. So, why don't we get this show on the road!"

* * *

At the same time, back on Earth, another former S.P.D. Ranger was restrained with no visible plan of escape. As Sydney Drew hung inside of Barrett Van Tigue's factory on the East Side of Newtech City, she could feel her muscles tightened to their limit as her wrists were tied above her. She looked down at her captors, who still seemed to be reveling in her predicament.

"You're gonna pay for this," Syd said.

"Oh, that's where you're wrong," Barrett said, with a smile, standing on the ground below. "I got away with killing Mia, didn't I?"

"Not yet," Syd said, gritting her teeth in anger.

Vishus joined Barrett in a chuckle, as she stood at his side, clutching her cane.

"I'm growing tired of this, Barrett. Can't we just destroy her?" Vishus said, with a whine.

Her resemblance to a normal human surprised Syd, given that she now knew Barrett's strange bodyguard was a cyborg. Her cybernetic cheek remained exposed by Syd's devastating punch.

"Soon, I promise," Barrett said to Vishus, as he grazed her chin with his finger. "But it's no fun if she still has hope."

Barrett pulled a silver remote from his pocket and pressed one of the buttons on it. At that moment, a robotic arm attached to the ceiling descended towards them. A flatscreen monitor swung on the end of it. Barrett used the remote to position the arm in a spot where all three of them could see it. He activated the monitor. Syd watched, looking confused as she saw Prax and the other criminals attacking the city.

"Do you see that, my dear?" Barrett said. "They're not coming for you! They have their hands full already. So, why don't you make this fun and start begging for your life. You never know, I may listen."

After a long bit of silence, Syd cast her gaze down upon Barrett, staring into his eyes.

"Never."

"Then death it is!" Vishus said, with a cackle.

"Yes," Barrett agreed. "But first, answer me one question. Who are you really?"

* * *

"I have a bad feeling about this," Boom said, as he watched the Delta X robots marching towards the auxiliary S.P.D. station.

As the robots came to a halt several meters away from the small building's entrance, B-Squad walked cautiously over to them. B-Squad's Pink Ranger, Meg Thurman walked right up to one of them and stared at it closely.

"They don't look any different than before," she said.

"President Cali says they've been fixed," Casey said, standing at Meg's side.

"Still, I'd feel a lot better if Kat or Dr. Jensen were here to take a look. Heck, I'd be more comfortable if Bridge were here to check them out," Boom said.

"I know," Casey said, turning to glance at him, since he was keeping his distance. "But we've gotta deal and I think I know how to increase our luck. The problems we had with Deuce on Fernovia came when we tried to contain Xenta, right?"

Meg and Boom nodded along with her.

"Well, this time we'll eliminate the possibility of something going wrong. Once we get Prax and his goons under control, we'll deactivate the robots. Then, we'll contain the criminals," Casey suggested.

"Works for me," Meg said, as she looked to Boom, who sighed, still troubled.

"Look, we don't have time for hesitation," Duc said, speaking for the first time since they exited the station. "We have our orders. Let's go."

Duc didn't want to wait a minute longer before confronting Blaze. He headed for the patrol jeep, hopping into the driver's seat. Meg wasn't far behind him. Casey joined Boom at his side.

"Ready?" she asked.

Boom took another deep breath and nodded.

"X-Squad, ready?" Boom called out.

The robot standing in the center of the line of the twelve machines tilted his head while glancing at Boom.

"Ready!" it responded.

"I hope he's right," Boom mumbled to Casey, as they headed for the jeep.

Prax cackled with pride, as his invasion army got closer to the center of Newtech City. He was comfortable in his new armor and even more confident in his boss's plans since Van Tigue had introduced him to his fighting force. The containment cards that were inside Barrett's small package had delivered Huragi, Rubexa and Relliott directly into Prax's army, dying to get back at Space Patrol Delta.

One member of Prax's invasion force, however, was growing impatient.

"Prax, where are they?" Blaze yelled, as he walked closer to Prax, just as he threw another explosive into a small building. "You said they would respond! I'm running out of detonators."

"Then have Huragi make you more," Prax shouted back at his cyborg comrade.

Prax came to a stop in the middle of the street and turned to the alien criminals.

"Listen up," he said. "Barrett Van Tigue secured your releases and he promised you revenge! Do not doubt him now. Space Patrol Delta will be here...and when the Rangers arrive, we'll destroy them!"

* * *

Benaag's shuttle maneuvered its way through the asteroid field in space. With Doggie Cruger at the controls, he flew with precision, finally clearing the last space rock. As he glanced over at Sam who was seated in the co-pilot's seat, Cruger noticed he didn't appear to be in good spirits.

"Sam, is something wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Sam said, stiffly. "I just wish I could have helped more."

"You did help," Cruger said.

"My morpher malfunctioned," Sam said, angrily. "The stupid thing won't work for me."

"You saved my life back there," Cruger said. "In fact, you saved my entire family. I don't ever want you to think differently. We might have all perished if you hadn't been there."

"Still...why didn't the morpher work like it was supposed to?"

"I don't know," Cruger said. "But we'll find out soon enough."

"But, Kat's on Earth. We're going to Galaxy Command," Sam said, disappointed.

"I'll take care of everything, Sam," Cruger said, sternly. "But I have to pick my battles carefully. It would be different if I could contact Kat on Earth, but with the communications buoy destroyed, I don't have the frequency to get through."

Upon hearing those words, Sam's mind began to wander, back to his conversation with Hawk about the frequency codes. He smiled.

"I have it," Sam said, as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small piece of paper, where he had written the numbers he saw on Hawk's hand.

He handed the paper to Cruger, who looked surprised.

"Sam, you've done it again," Cruger said, as he keyed in the sequence and made a call to Earth.

"This is S.P.D.'s Earth station. How may we be of assistance?" Niyako's calm, yet squeaky voice spoke.

Cruger breathed a sigh of relief.

"Niyako, this is Supreme Commander Cruger," he spoke into the panel.

"Supreme Commander, we've all been worried about you and your family. The Rangers discovered that Dr. Sevarus was the one who sabotaged us. Are you safe?" Niyako asked.

"Yes. Sevarus has been...dealt with. But, I need to speak with Kat. It's urgent."

"I'm sorry, sir. Commander Manx is away," Niyako revealed to them.

It was at that moment that Cruger's Sirian ears picked up the sound of alarms on the other side of the transmission.

"Niyako, what's happening there?"

"Newtech City is under attack, Commander," Niyako announced. "A suspected criminal named Prax, is leading an army of escaped criminals into the main area of the city. B-Squad has responded."

"More escaped criminals? B-Squad?" Cruger said, confused. "Where are Carson and the others?"

"They are also away, sir...on Onyx," Niyako stated.

"Onyx?" Cruger appeared more disturbed.

"Your orders, sir?" Niyako asked.

"Tell B-Squad to stand their ground," Cruger said. "I want updates as soon as anything changes there and make sure that Commander Manx contacts me as soon as you speak with her."

"Understood, Commander," Niyako said, as she closed the transmission.

"Sounds like we should be going to Earth," Sam said, appearing unsettled by the news.

Cruger took another troubled breath, as he faced the choice ahead of him. He would either leave B-Squad to handle a criminal army on their own, or return to Galaxy Command to confront his boss, whom he believed had ordered his death. Cruger sat still in his chair, closing his eyes to contemplate his decision.

* * *

"I don't believe this," Pryce Jensen spoke, dumbfounded at what he saw on the ground of the office.

Vanguard X's Chairman, Artim Grace, lay lifeless there, his skull penetrated by glass only to reveal that Artim Grace wasn't a middle-aged African American human, but a very life-like cyborg. As Pryce looked closer at the markings on his circuitry, Kat Manx, who had been kneeling at his side, stood up and walked over to Grace's desk.

"This doesn't make any sense," Pryce said, as he continued to examine Grace's design. "How could a cyborg become the chairman of a technologies company?"

"Trust me," Kat said, finally. "No matter what the answer is, you won't like it."

Pryce looked over and saw her fumbling with papers and reports on Grace's desk.

"What are you looking for?"

"A directory," Kat said. "We need to find Dr. Jiang and it doesn't look like Artim Grace is going to be of assistance."

"Uh oh," Pryce said, drawing Kat's attention.

"What is it?" she asked.

"When I was trying to fix the problems we were having with the Delta X project, Sophie allowed me access to her systems to help," Pryce said, as his troubled eyes met Kat's. "The layout and design of Chairman Grace's systems are identical."

"What? How's that possible?" Kat said, looking shocked.

"The only explanation is that he's from the Cybortech Series, but there were only five produced before Vanguard X discontinued them," Pryce deduced.

Kat's shock turned to anger once again.

"Dr. Jiang's project," Kat said, as got her hands on the building directory.

She thumbed through the listings until she found the location of Dr. Jiang's laboratory.

"If we want answers, we better head to the source," Kat said, as she glanced back at Pryce.

* * *

As the red planet of Fenix Prime came into view, Sophie's fingers glided across the controls of the craft, bringing the Rangers even closer to their destination, and closer to breaking the rules they had sworn to protect. Sophie glanced over her shoulder. The rear hatch door was open and she could see Bridge, Z and Quinn standing in a semi-circle, talking in the back, as Murphy sat quietly at Quinn's side.

"We're only a couple of minutes away," Sophie called out to them. "I'm masking our system functions so they won't be able to detect us."

"Good job, Soph," Bridge said, with a smile.

"So, what's the plan, oh fearless leader?" Z asked, with her arms folded in curiosity.

Bridge nodded and pointed to Murphy.

"Pull up the blueprints of the facility," Bridge ordered.

Within seconds a miniature, three-dimensional view of the Myers Detention Facility was hovering in the air in front of the three officers.

"Well," Bridge said, as he took a large breath and began pointing out places on the map to go along with his plan. "Sophie will land us on the rooftop shuttle launch pad. Since they won't be able to detect the Blast Buggy, we should be fine. Just in case, Sophie will stay behind. If we're detected, she'll take off."

"Okay," Sophie said, grimly, as she found it hard to contemplate leaving her comrades behind.

"The rooftop entrance is unguarded because of the dangerous atmosphere outside. They can't risk placing guards out there for safety reasons. Thanks to Quinn, we've secured the access codes for the entrance, the security alarms and the prison cells. So, we'll use the ventilation ducts and follow this shaft across the cafeteria and that should lead us directly to Sky's cell. We'll assess his situation and decide on the best course of action from there," Bridge explained.

"Wow..." Z said, looking impressed. "Good plan."

"Why thank you," Bridge said, with a smile.

"We're coming in for a landing," Sophie said, as the Blast Buggy descended into the atmosphere, until it came to a stop on the roof of the prison.

She unstrapped herself from the pilot's seat and headed into the rear where Bridge, Z & Quinn were strapping on their backpacks.

"Good luck, guys," she said.

"Thanks," Bridge responded, with a wink. "Keep the motor running. We may need to make a quick getaway."

"I'll be right here," Sophie said, with a nod.

She watched the three officers exit the shuttle, followed by Murphy. They were all dressed in black, including ski masks, which they pulled over their faces, as they headed towards the rooftop entrance. The S.P.D. insignia on Murphy's robotic shell had also been strategically covered with black tape. Once they were clear of the launch pad, Sophie closed the hatch door and returned to her seat, strapping herself back in. Once that was done, Sophie leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath, preparing for the wait ahead.

* * *

"Give it up Barrett. You're not going to get away with any of this," Syd said.

Barrett and Vishus glanced at each other and then both burst into laughter.

"You're telling _us_ to give up?" Vishus said, as she held tight to her cane. "You're the one knocking at death's door, sweetie."

"She's right," Barrett said, smirking up at Syd. "So why don't you satisfy our curiosity and tell us what name they'll be putting on your tombstone? I may want to visit your grave."

"Let me down and I'll tell you everything," Syd said, frowning.

"Come now, you can't think I'm that stupid," Barrett said.

"You were stupid enough to believe I was some ditzy lounge singer," Syd said.

"I never said I was perfect," Barrett said. "I agree you had me swayed...for a while, but that's all over now."

"I told you not to trust her," Vishus said. "I never did!"

"You don't trust anyone," Barrett said to Vishus. "That still didn't stop the Yellow Ranger from getting into my house!"

"She caught me by surprise!" Vishus retorted. "Besides, that was Piggy's fault, not mine! He was supposed to destroy her."

"Why?" Syd wondered. "Why would you go after Z Delgado? She didn't even know you."

Barrett shook his head.

"You just don't get it. I have plans that encompass this entire city. In order for those plans to come to fruition, I needed a clear path to victory over Newtech City. That meant taking down the biggest security force in town. I have enough 'friends' at the police department to keep them out of my way and the Power Rangers are weaker once their numbers have dwindled. Getting rid of the Yellow Ranger helped my plan move forward, at least I thought it would," Barrett said. "I never should have placed any faith in that weasel Piggy."

"Yes. With the Red Ranger out of commission and B-Squad filled with bumblers, it would have been perfect. There would have been nothing standing in your way," Vishus seethed.

"Except Mia," Syd said, angrily. "That's why you killed her."

"Mia was a tragedy, but she had to be eliminated," Barrett revealed, his voice getting angrier with each word, until it was oozing with hatred. "You have no idea how betrayed I felt when I walked into my office and found her there, rummaging through _my_ business, taking photos of _my_ blueprints."

"Mia wasn't a tragedy," Syd said. "She succeeded and S.P.D. has those plans. I made sure of that and they are going to be on to you in no time."

"I think S.P.D. is going to be a little too busy for that," Vishus said, as she glanced back at the monitor, showing Prax and his criminal army destroying more parts of the city.

Barrett, however, said nothing. He simply stared up into Syd's burning eyes, seeing the hatred that lived there, hatred for him.

* * *

Isinia Cruger gently rocked her two newborn pups to sleep in the rear compartment, as the hatch leading to the cockpit slid open to reveal her husband. Doggie Cruger entered, walking over to her and the little ones.

"How are they?"

"Perfect, just as they were the last time you saw them," Isinia said, with a smile.

"They really are Crugers then, aren't they? Dealing with adversity, even at such a young age."

"They've got your strength, that's for sure," Isinia said.

"And your spirit," Doggie added.

"Anubis Jr. and Isobel," Isinia said, as she smirked at Cruger, quietly.

"You named them?"

"It was time," Isinia said.

"Anubis Jr.," he said, as he glanced at his son. "He's going to be a tough one for sure. And, Isobel...interesting choice."

"Inspired by their hero, Sam," Isinia said. "It was his mother's name."

Upon hearing mention of Sam, Cruger let out a deep sigh. He walked over to a window in the shuttle and began staring out into space. The shuttle was set on autopilot, as it continued on its course, an uncertain one even for Cruger.

"You don't like the name?" Isinia asked, as she walked up behind him.

"No. It's lovely," Cruger said.

"Then, what's the problem?"

"It's Sam," Cruger said. "Actually, it's a lot of things. I'm at a crossroads, Isinia."

"What do you mean?"

"Sevarus—he committed suicide," Cruger revealed.

Isinia bowed her head.

"He doesn't deserve your pity," Cruger said.

"I wasn't thinking of him," she said. "I was relieved that your honor remained intact. When I left you there, I wasn't so sure it would."

"I've always taken such pride in this badge. It's been a symbol of honor and history for me by its very design," Cruger explained. "But Sevarus and Cali, they've tarnished this symbol, used it to justify their treachery. It's lost something and I'm not sure I can get it back."

Isinia stepped close to her husband, taking him into her embrace. She slid her hand over the badge.

"The badge doesn't protect the wearer from corruption," Isinia said. "It works the other way around. It's up to you to keep the spirit of S.P.D. alive."

"That's getting harder to do," Cruger said. "Newtech City is under attack. Kat and the Officers aren't there. B-Squad is going to need help. My heart tells me that I should be there. But, Cali is running free and who knows what dangerous intentions he may still have. My mind tells me I need to stop him. But, I'm only one Sirian. I can't do everything."

"What is your soul telling you to do?" Isinia said. "It's the strongest part of you and it's immune to corruption. I know it. Whatever you decide, you're not just one Sirian. You've got a small army behind you now."

In that moment, Cruger was reminded of why he loved Isinia Cruger. He held her close, as both of them glanced over at the sleeping pups.

* * *

Inside the ventilation shafts of the Myers Detention Facility, the robotic patrol hound, Murphy, trudged forward quietly, a small light emanating from his head lit their way, as he used his internal knowledge of the prison's layout to lead them towards the prisoner cells.

Trailing closely behind the hound was Bridge Carson. Crawling directly behind him was Z Delgado and Quinn Gray pulled up the rear. As Z paused briefly to examine something she had just placed her hand on in the shaft, she groaned.

"I think when we get back to Earth I'm gonna write my first report and it's gonna be addressed to the warden of this prison, detailing how much he needs to get a cleaning crew up here," Z whispered.

"Oh, it's not so bad," Bridge said, as he followed Murphy, as the robot turned a corner in the shaft.

At that very moment, Z heard a squeaking noise come from Bridge that she hoped was his boots rubbing against the metal shaft and not a discharge of gas from the Blue Ranger. All movement inside the ventilation duct stopped.

"That was my shoe," Bridge whispered quickly to Z. "I swear!"

Z groaned again.

Bridge turned his attentions back to Murphy who had gotten all the way to the end of that shaft, which branched off in two directions. Bridge remembered from studying the plans that the area ahead was the cafeteria and the left shaft led to the prison cells. He stopped in his tracks again when he noticed Murphy pause for a long second, before going down the right shaft instead.

"No!" Bridge called out, trying not to yell. "Murphy, the other way!"

"What's he doing?" Quinn whispered.

"Getting us into trouble if we get caught," Bridge said.

"Well, we better go after him, quick," Z said, not wanting to spend much longer in the ventilation duct.

The three crawled after Murphy. After turning the right corner, they saw the hound had come to a stop just above a screened shaft opening that looked down upon the cafeteria. Bridge crawled up to Murphy and looked down through the screen.

"Whoa," he whispered.

"What is it?" Z wondered, as she couldn't see around Bridge.

"It's Sky...tied to a cafeteria table," Bridge said, surprised, at what he saw.

"Oh my god," Quinn gasped, instinctively shutting his eyes. "Tell me he's wearing clothes."

"What have they done to him?" Z whispered in disgust.

"I don't know, but maybe we should ask Morgana," Bridge said, catching both Z & Quinn off-guard.

The three officers shared confused looks, as Bridge and Murphy peered down again on the cafeteria, where Morgana was holding a large, sharp knife.

"Well, boys the time has come," she smiled, slyly. "Any final words before we get this party started?"

At that moment, the ventilation shaft's screen crashed to the ground behind Morgana and her monster crew, catching them by surprise. All five of them whipped around quickly to see three black-clad intruders landing on the ground, with laser pistols in hand, pointing directly at the aliens.

"Got room for a few more?" Bridge said, beneath his mask.

"No!" Morgana yelled quickly.

Bridge ripped his mask off, greeting Morgana with a smiling face.

"Then, make room!" Bridge shouted. "You're all under arrest...again."

Still strapped down on the nearby table, Cash glanced over at Sky.

"More friends of yours?" he whispered.

"Definitely," Sky said, unable to shake the smile appearing on his face. "Guys, am I glad to see you!"

"Well, I'm not!" Morgana said, as she looked to her alien friends. "Get them!"

"Ready!" Bridge shouted, drawing his morpher.

"Ready!" Z and Quinn yelled.

"S.P.D. Emergency!"

* * *

As their march towards the center of Newtech City continued, the villainous Huragi stepped ahead of the criminals. The gold and silver-plated alien was an explosives expert whose bombs wreaked havoc on Fernovia until Earth's Rangers and their B-Squad intervened. As a car tried to speed away from the growing crime scene, Huragi powered up his shoulder-mounted cannon, firing a mini-detonator at the vehicle. Once the bomb hit the moving car, it burst into flames. The male driver jumped from the fiery blaze, just as it crashed into the front window of a department store.

"Hehe," Huragi chuckled. "It's good to be free!"

Prax walked over, picking up the middle-aged man by the collar.

"Poor human," Prax hissed in the man's face, his insectoid hands leaving permanent marks on the man's clothes. "Not even S.P.D. can save you pitiful people!"

"We'll see about that!"

The alien army turned to see the arrival of the morphed B-Squad Rangers. Behind them stood a dozen of the Delta X robots. B-Squad's Blue Ranger, who had just shouted at Prax, had his arm pointed directly at the armored-alien.

"Hands off the human!" Boom added.

Prax turned back to the man, who was cowering in his grasp. Prax tilted his head slightly, then turned back to Boom.

"Okay!" Prax said, as he whipped the man around quickly.

Prax tossed the civilian into the air, causing his body to spiral out of control, heading for a concrete building across the street. B-Squad began running towards the man, as one of the X-Squad robots stepped forward, extending its hands.

With the activation of its grappling systems, the robot's hands shot out from its arms, grabbing the man in midair and retracting him towards the robots. B-Squad rejoined the lead robot in time to see the man land safely.

"Uh, thank you," the man said, giving the robots a confused look, before running off.

"Now, you're trying to ruin our fun!" Blaze said, grinning directly at B-Squad's Yellow Ranger.

"And we're not done yet!" Duc shouted back, as he sprinted towards his parents' killer.

He went for a spinning kick immediately, but the cyborg ducked the attack, kicking Cadet Sato in the chest. The morphed Ranger staggered a bit, letting go of his weapon, which was strapped across his shoulder. He didn't let up, as he unleashed a barrage of kicks and punches on his opponent, which Blaze seemed to match, blow for blow.

Nearby, B-Squad's Pink and Green Rangers, both had their weapons drawn, as they fought with Rubexa, the escaped criminal who was once a member of Broodwing's army that invaded the Delta Command Base in their final battle before containment and Rubexa's escape earlier in the year. With her blaster rifle drawn, B-Squad's Pink Ranger, Meg Thurman, tried to take aim, only for Rubexa to kick the rifle away. Just as Casey joined her at her side, she whipped completely around. Both female Rangers used their rifles as clubs, hitting Rubexa in the chest, sending her staggering backwards.

Relliott, the final of the three escaped criminals, had his hands full with B-Squad's Blue Ranger. Cadet Boom fired at the blue-skinned alien criminal. With his silver armor sparkling in the approaching sunset, Relliott used his super speed to zoom straight past the Blue Ranger, sending Boom spinning around. He got his bearings once again to fire on the criminal when Relliott fired an energy surge from his glowing orange eyes.

Boom ducked away from the blast and fired one of his own from his blaster rifle. The blast struck Relliott as his feet, sending the monster tumbling to the ground in a barrage of sparks and smoke. Nearby, Prax looked angry that B-Squad wasn't going down without a fight.

"No!" he yelled. "Get up! Destroy them!"

Prax raised his arms in anger, just as they were both grabbed. He turned quickly, glancing between both arms, where he saw two of the Delta X robots had grabbed a hold of him. He was shocked.

"What are you doing?" Prax yelled.

With a few quick motions, the two robots sent Prax flying forward into a parked bus, where he crashed, chest-first into the vehicle, sending sparks sizzling throughout his body.

"This can't be!" Prax yelled in anger, wondering when his boss's brilliant plan would take effect.

* * *

Inside his factory, Barrett Van Tigue stepped up to the glass window inside his office. He looked down upon Syren Dean, tied and hanging. As thoughts of ways to end her life danced in his head, he saw his cyborg bodyguard, Vishus, standing below. Judging by the movement of her lips and her visible sneer, he was sure she was down there berating Syren even further.

As Barrett's eyes continued to glance around, they rested on the monitor showing Prax's invasion of Newtech City. He saw his monster allies were all being pressured by S.P.D.'s B-Squad and the Delta X robots. Barrett pulled his cellphone from his pocket and dialed a number, patiently waiting for an answer.

"Hello Mr. Van Tigue," the voice on the other end spoke.

There was no need for caller identification. Van Tigue had supplied Dr. Jiang with the cellphone.

"Doctor, I think it's time to turn the tables on Space Patrol Delta," Barrett said, slyly.

"You mean you're ready for me to activate the trigger?" Dr. Jiang wondered, his voice a bit worried.

"That is what I pay you for, isn't it?" Barrett said sternly.

"I understand," Dr. Jiang said, as he hung up.

Inside of his research laboratory, Dr. Lee Jiang took a deep breath. He walked over to his desk and unlocked the bottom drawer. He pulled out a small black remote control. The small device featured a numeric keypad and three lights. Its power source was so strong that no antennae would be needed. Jiang checked the lights on the device. The light on the left was bright yellow, showing him that the trigger was fully powered. The light on the right was blinking green, signaling to him that the Delta X robots had been activated. The light in the middle was dim. Once he activated the trigger he knew it would glow red.

As he keyed in a specific numerical sequence on the remote, the doors to his laboratory slid open, surprising him. He kept the doors locked at all times, especially these days. He was even more shocked by the two figures he saw standing there. His fingers finished keying in the numerical sequence, as he jumped to his feet. All he had to do was flip the switch beneath it to send the signal to the trigger. The remote remained sitting on his desk.

"Commander Manx, what is the meaning of this intrusion?" Jiang said, surprised. "I'm in the middle of very sensitive work!"

Kat and Pryce both stood in the doorway. They were total opposites. Kat's arms were folded in front of her, illustrating her disdain. Pryce's arms were behind his back, as he stared at Jiang.

"So am I," Kat said, as she walked further in. "And my work involves you!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about cyborgs and robots, your specialty," Kat said. "We have evidence in our possession that Barrett Van Tigue has blueprints to the Delta X robots."

"What? How can that be?" Jiang said, stunned that she knew.

"My only guess is that someone gave them to him. After a lot of deep thought, I've put you at the top of that suspect list," Kat said.

"You have no right to accuse me of such things," Dr. Jiang said. "There's no proof."

"There's more proof than you think," Pryce said, as he presented his hands to Jiang, showing that he was carrying the detached head of Artim Grace.

Jiang's eyes grew even wider upon seeing Grace's cybernetic head.

"What have you done?" Jiang said, almost breathless.

"Funny I was just about to ask you that very question," Kat said, darkly.

* * *

As Barrett Van Tigue walked back into the main area of his factory, he saw Lady Vishus pushing a large piece of equipment into the center of the room, positioning it directly underneath their hanging captive. He glanced up at her.

"One last chance," Barrett spoke. "Who are you?"

"I won't give you the satisfaction," Syd said. "I know that's what you're looking for—power!"

Vishus giggled, as she picked her cane up from the floor and sauntered over to Barrett, placing her free hand on his shoulder.

"She knows you well," Vishus said.

"Look around you," Barrett said, glaring up at Syd, refusing to use her fake name anymore. "This entire part of the city is a cesspool."

His tone grew more crazed as he continued to speak.

"The East Side of Newtech City is a slum. I shouldn't have to live this way," he seethed.

"No one asked you to do dirty business," Syd said. "No one asked you to commit murder!"

"Like you said. It's about power! I can't have true power living in these shadows. My time is coming. It's time for all of Newtech City to realize that I have the power. That's what this is all about," Barrett said, staring into her eyes.

As silence filled the room, Syd laughed, catching both of them off-guard.

"You think you have power?" Syd said, furiously. "You have nothing! You think just because you pulled a few tricks and hired a few two-bit criminals that you'll get what you want? What you've created is just a mess that S.P.D. is going to clean up. Newtech City still won't know who you are. You deal in the darkness because you don't know how to live within the law!"

"You know nothing about me!" Barrett shouted, rejecting her personal attack.

"Your mother knows," Syd shouted back. "She knows an awful lot."

"Shut up!"

"You thought you had power over her, didn't you?" Syd said. "But you don't. She knew what kind of evil you were, even as a child. She told me!"

"You're lying!"

"Barrett, don't listen to her," Vishus said, grabbing his arm.

"You're just deluding yourself!" Syd shouted. "That's why you want to know who I am. You want to know who it was that beat you."

"You haven't beaten anything!" Vishus shouted. "You're the one heading for a long, slow death."

Vishus walked over to a control panel on the wall near a small entrance door, where a large lever was located. She pulled down on it, activating the machine she had pushed underneath Syd's hanging body. The steel piece of equipment made a loud noise as it turned on. It housed two large spinning blades, which intertwined with one another. Anything that was thrown inside would be torn to shreds in seconds.

"It's perfect!" Vishus shouted.

Barrett walked a little closer to the machine. He looked back up at Syd.

"We used this to destroy the evidence that the Delta X project was still active," Barrett said.

Syd looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

Barrett smiled, as he raised a hand to Vishus, causing her to deactivate the machine. Barrett wanted his victim to hear every last bit of his words.

"I'm talking about power," Barrett said, sarcastically. "That is the topic for today. You said I wanted power, but I already have all I need to take control of this city. I may work in the shadows, but all good puppet masters do. The mastermind doesn't need to be seen for his puppets to do their jobs well."

Syd's eyes veered to the monitor, showing B-Squad fighting alongside the robots, beginning to gain the upper hand in their battle against Prax and his small army. As fear began to grow within her, she looked back down at Barrett.

"I have more power than you could ever imagine," Barrett said, his eyes filled with lust and corruption. "I'm pulling all the strings and I'm ready to begin cutting them, one by one, starting with you."

* * *

Inside the Myers Detention Facility cafeteria, a fierce battle had broken out. The Blue Ranger was fending off attacks from both Wootox and Giganus. Bridge ducked an attack from one of them, while kicking the other away, with a swiping motion. Bridge grabbed a hold of his Deltamax Striker, using it to slash at Wootox's chest, sending the monster spinning to the ground. But before he could recover and turn around, Giganus had grabbed him from behind.

Several feet away, Quinn also found himself doing double duty, as he fought off Slate and Sinuku. He sent a side kick into Slate's belly, causing the completely black alien to go flying backwards into a far wall. Sinuku wasn't one to wait, as he was already aiming several punches and kicks at the Green Ranger, who fought back, blocking each one.

Meanwhile, behind him, Slate was getting to his feet.

"You're mine now," he grumbled, as he set his sights on Quinn.

Just then, Murphy jumped from the ventilation shaft, landing directly onto Slate, knocking the thin creature to the ground, where Murphy growled viciously, as he clamped down on the villain's arm, causing him to scream in pain.

Seeing her opportunity, Z slashed her Deltamax Striker at Morgana's chest, sending her nemesis falling to the ground. She turned to see Cash Donovan strapped to the cafeteria table next to Sky's.

"I must be dying," Cash said.

"What?"

"My final wish—I wanted to see a pretty face. God didn't disappoint!" Cash said, with a wink.

"Dream on!" Z groaned beneath her helmet, before looking over at Sky. "You know this guy?"

"He's a friend," Sky said simply.

With a nod, Z formed her Deltamax Striker's laser mode and pointed it at Sky's restraints. She fired, instantly freeing him, before going to work on Cash with her hands. Sky ran off immediately into the fray. Within moments, Cash was free as well.

"Thanks," Cash said, with a smile. "I just want you to know I'm not afraid of strong women."

"Good!" Morgana yelled from behind Z.

Morgana, still holding the large cutting knife, slashed down towards them. The Yellow Ranger's reflexes responded instantly, as she grabbed Cash close and rolled them over the cafeteria table, barely missing Morgana's slash.

Nearby, Bridge continued his battle with Giganus, only to be joined by Sky, who grabbed the alien from behind.

"Thanks!" Bridge said, as he aimed his Deltamax Striker at Giganus.

His former friend was too strong for Sky, however, as he jerked his body weight forward, causing Sky's grip on him to be lost. Giganus swiped at Sky's chest, sending him spinning to the floor, where Wootox pulled him to his feet, slamming him against a wall.

"I'm finally going to get to finish you myself!" Wootox grunted.

"Bridge," Sky yelled, through the pain of Wootox's grip. "Could use a little help!"

Over Wootox's shoulder, Sky could see Bridge fighting closely with Giganus, who wasn't letting up.

"Kinda busy at the moment, Sky," Bridge said, as he ducked a punch from Giganus. "Gimme a sec."

"I don't have a sec," Sky said, as Wootox lifted his body several inches off the ground, increasing the pain to his neck and shoulders.

Sky kicked at his foe, accidentally causing the genetic inhibitor strapped to his ankle to jam into his leg. Sky winced at the new pain, wishing he had some power. He used all of his strength to bring both of his legs up, kneeing Wootox in the chest. The alien's grip waned a bit, allowing Sky to score a punch to his face, which he knew hurt him more than Wootox. He glanced back at the battling Blue Ranger.

"Bridge!" Sky shouted. "I need to get rid of this ankle bracelet!"

Bridge swiped at Giganus with his Deltamax Striker, but the alien ducked the attack, grabbing the Blue Ranger by the throat from behind.

"This is no time to talk about jewelry!" Bridge said, as he used his momentum to flip Giganus over his shoulder to the ground.

"Bridge!" Sky yelled, this time in annoyance.

It almost made Bridge smile to hear Sky's old self. Then, he saw Wootox had grabbed Sky once again, lifting him over his head. Bridge hopped over Giganus' body and slashed at Wootox's chest with his Deltamax Striker. Wootox collapsed in pain.

Sky fell to the ground for only a second, before Bridge had pulled him back to his feet.

"Now!" Bridge shouted to Sky, as he was catching his breath. "What can I do for you?"

Sky pointed at the electronic device around his ankle.

"It stops me from using my genetic power," Sky said.

"Oh, well that's easy," Bridge said, as he slashed the device to pieces with his weapon.

"This isn't over!" Giganus yelled from afar, as he started barreling towards them.

With one swift motion, Bridge pushed Sky away, causing him to fall to the floor. Bridge ducked Giganus' punch, which hit the wall behind him. Sky generated a strong forcefield, sending it straight at Giganus' back. Bridge grabbed the alien's free arm, with one hand as he looked back at Sky.

"Since you're in the mood for fashion, why not try this out?" Bridge shouted, as he reached behind his back with his free hand and pulled out Sky's morpher, tossing it to him.

Sky caught it with one hand and smiled back at Bridge.

"You got it," he said, as he activated the morpher.

"S.P.D. Emergency!"

Within seconds, the Red Ranger was fully morphed. Sky took a few deep breaths and glanced down at his suit, wanting to pinch himself. He didn't have time to dwell on his newfound power though, as Wootox was coming towards him. Sky broke out into a run of his own, grabbing his twin Delta Blasters and firing them at Wootox, lighting him up in a barrage of lasers. Sky twirled the sidearms in his hands.

"Feels good to be back."

* * *

The largest room inside the Galactic Council Center belonged to Galactic Council President Ottomus Cali. In fact, it was the largest office not only in this building, but in all of Galaxy Command. His rectangular shaped office was long in design. His desk sat on a slightly raised platform. Not one for decoration, the only things that hung on the walls leading from the double sliding doors were two large canine S.P.D. insignia.

These days, Cali rarely looked at them.

At the moment, the only thing he was looking at was a sleek, slender screen, which raised from just inside of his metallic desk. He enjoyed the screen, mainly because it allowed only him to view whatever was displayed. With the haunting alien melody of Chattis Phee playing in the background, Cali watched the video feed closely.

A smile came across his face, as he watched Earth's B-Squad Rangers fighting with Newtech City's latest alien army. Prax and his minions were holding their ground, although it appeared that B-Squad was gaining strength and confidence in their battle, especially with the addition of the Delta X Series robots.

"Things are going perfectly," Cali said to himself.

Then, the doors to his office slid open unexpectedly. Cali fumbled at bit on his desk, reaching for the button to retract the monitor. He pushed it, causing the screen to lower back into his desk. He finally looked up, as he heard the footsteps approaching. His jaw dropped as he identified the unexpected arrival.

"Cruger," Cali said, almost gasping.

"Otto, you look surprised to see me," Cruger said, his voice dark and angry.

"I—I just—I assumed you were still on Sirius."

"I would be if you had your way," Cruger said, his voice going lower with every word, turning to a low growl with each syllable.

"I don't understand," Cali said, as he remained seated, nervously.

At that moment, Cruger dropped the small metallic card on Cali's desk. The president looked down at the containment card, seeing Benaag pounding on it, as if he could escape. Cali's eyes grew wider. He looked back up at Cruger.

"Benaag—how did—"

"You sent him to destroy me!" Cruger growled. "And you expected Sevarus to kill my family!"

"I didn't—"

Before Cali could finish his sentence Cruger had reached across the desk and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him out of his seat. Cruger pulled Cali's body towards him, causing the tall alien man to lean over his desk, coming face to face with Cruger. The Sirian wanted to look into his eyes.

"You did!" he yelled, the sound piercing Cali's ears. "I want to know why!"

* * *

Back on Earth, Kat and Pryce were walking even more closer to Dr. Jiang's desk, as the elderly Asian man came around the desk. He was so shocked by the current turn of events that he didn't touch the remote control that still rested on his desk.

"I don't think we're on the same page, Commander," Jiang said to Kat.

"I know we aren't!" Kat said, angrily bearing her teeth. "But let me spell it out for you again. Barrett Van Tigue is in possession of Delta X blueprints. Only authorized personnel have access to them. I didn't give them to him. Dr. Jensen didn't give them to him. That leaves you!"

"I would never—"

"Don't lie to me, doctor!" Kat said. "I want the truth. Why did you give Van Tigue those plans and why is one of your cyborgs running this company?"

"You can't barge into this office and accuse me of such things!" Jiang said, his anger tinged with nervousness.

"We just did," Pryce said. "And we don't have all day, so you better start talking."

Jiang's mouth was open, but no words escaped them. Kat could tell he was searching for another lie to tell her. This made her even more angry.

"I'm calling security," Jiang said, as he reached for his desk.

He wasn't going to call security, however. He was reaching for the remote to activate the trigger that Barrett Van Tigue ordered him to. Before his hand could hit the desk, however, Kat Manx had his wrist in her hand, preventing it.

"I dare you to call security. I think they'll find it very interesting to see that the person who's been signing their paychecks is a cyborg!" she shouted.

Pryce walked up to the desk and dropped Artim Grace's detached head on Jiang's desk. The doctor couldn't help but stare at the exposed circuitry, as his breathing intensified. Kat knew it. As she held his wrist in her grip, she could feel his pulse racing. Jiang shook his head, as her grip tightened.

"Now, doctor!" Kat shouted.

Jiang continued shifting his head negatively, resisting. At that moment, Pryce Jensen rolled his eyes and walked over to Jiang's work area and began tossing glass containers, scanners and LCD pads onto the floor with a force that broke them into pieces. Jiang was shocked.

"What are you doing?!"

"Looking for answers," Pryce said, calmly, as he continued to break things. "If you want help us find them, we'll have to do this the old fashioned way."

Jiang tried to stop him, but Kat's grip was unwavering.

"Stop!" Jiang said, in fear. "Please! That's months of work!"

"Tell us what's going on," Kat pressed.

"I—I can't," Jiang shouted as he saw his work going up in flames before his eyes.

"Well, I don't see anything important over here," Pryce said, as he walked past Jiang and sat down at the doctor's desk. "Maybe the answers we want are on the desk!"

"No! You can't," Jiang said, as Pryce began looking through LCD pads and papers and tossing them over his shoulder when they didn't reference Delta X or Barrett Van Tigue.

Kat smiled, appreciating Pryce's efforts. Jiang's pulse continued to rise in her grip. Some part of her feared the old man might succumb to heart failure if he continued this rise in blood pressure.

"Tell us who gave Barrett Van Tigue those blueprints!" Kat shouted at him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jiang saw Pryce's hand touch the remote control device. He almost gasped.

"All right! All right!" he yelled. "Just stop!"

Pryce's hand left the device on the desk, as Jiang turned to Kat.

"You want to know who gave those blueprints to Van Tigue? No one did," Jiang said, his voice defeated.

"What?" Pryce said, unbelieving.

"No one gave them to him. On my honor, that is the truth," Jiang said.

"I'm not sure your honor is worth much," Kat said. "How did he get them?"

"He took them," Jiang said.

As his pulse weakened a bit, Kat thought he might be telling the truth.

"Explain," she said.

"It's true that no unauthorized personnel are allowed access to project blueprints," Jiang explained. "Barrett Van Tigue _is_ authorized."

"I don't understand," Pryce said.

"Is it because he donated money to the company?" Kat asked.

"No," Jiang said, his eyes glued to the floor for a moment. Then he looked up into Kat's eyes. "Barrett Van Tigue owns Vanguard X."

The shock was now on the side of Kat and Pryce.

"How is that possible?"

"Two years ago, Vanguard X was in deep financial trouble," Jiang explained. "Barrett Van Tigue used that to purchase the company right out from underneath the previous owners. He came to me and offered me the chance to run Vanguard X, since he would have to remain out of the spotlight. I didn't know why at the time. Recently, it became more clear."

"So you put a cyborg in charge?" Pryce said, looking confused.

"Artim Grace was one of my best prototypes. The Cybortech Series was remarkable! My previous bosses didn't have faith in my work. Barrett Van Tigue did!" Jiang said. "Not even S.P.D. had faith in them at the time. You were all so busy in your fight with Gruumm that you never even noticed the change in leadership!"

"What is Van Tigue up to?" Kat asked, getting angrier at his deception.

Jiang's eyes veered to his desk and the remote control, which was within his reach. He knew that he must activate the trigger. Then, his cellphone rang. Before he could reach for it on his desk, Pryce Jensen grabbed it, checking the caller identification screen.

"Guess who?" Pryce said with a smirk, looking at Kat. It was Van Tigue calling.

"Give me the phone," Jiang said, reaching for it.

Pryce pulled it from his reach, as Kat still held onto Jiang's wrist.

"Should I answer?" Pryce asked Kat.

Kat's mind raced. Should she answer the phone? That would tip Van Tigue off that S.P.D. was on his trail. Should she let Jiang answer and attempt to bait Van Tigue? That could backfire if Jiang were to reveal something on the line. She let go of Jiang's arm, as she walked closer to Pryce and reached out for the phone, which he handed to her. She took a deep breath.

With their attention elsewhere, they never saw Jiang pick up the trigger remote and activate it. Pryce jumped up from his desk, snatching it from Jiang's hands.

"What is this?" he shouted at Jiang.

"What did you do?" Kat said, dropping the phone. "What did you do?"

"I just ensured that B-Squad would lose their battle."

Kat and Pryce glanced at each other, looking confused once again.

* * *

Inside of his factory, Van Tigue slammed his cellphone shut.

"What is he doing?" he sneered, as he looked back at his monitor screen, seeing B-Squad was winning their battle.

He shook his head, sending a mental curse to Lee Jiang.

"What's wrong, Barrett?" Syd spoke from high above. "Things not going your way?"

"No!" Barrett shouted, before regaining his calm and smiling up at her. "But, they aren't going your way either. V, activate the machine!"

Over by the entranceway, Vishus smiled widely, even with her smudged red lipstick. She reached up and activated the first lever on the wall, which caused the metallic grinder to start up. With a nod from Barrett, Vishus grabbed a second lever and pulled on it, causing the rope that tied Syd to begin to lower her towards the machine.

Syd let out a squeal, as she struggled in her restraints once again.

"Goodbye, whoever you are," Barrett said, his voice just loud enough for her to hear it over the machine.

He turned his gaze back to the monitor, unable to take his eyes off of it for now. Prax and his army were losing and his plans for Newtech City appeared to be failing quickly. On the other side of the machine, Vishus couldn't take her eyes off of Syd, as she was slowly descending towards the grinder.

"This won't be pretty," Vishus cackled.

With her eyes on Syd and Barrett's eyes on the monitor, neither noticed the figure approaching the entranceway from outside. As its shadow came into view, it appeared to have three legs. But that was just a shadow trick. This alien had only two legs and one soul that he failed to resist once again. Grasping his cane, Piggy peeked his head inside the doorway, as he heard the machine and a familiar female scream. He saw Syd hanging above the grinder, the battle playing out on the monitor and Vishus with her hand on the lever. Piggy turned away from the door and closed his eyes for a second, releasing a deep sigh.

* * *

On Fenix Prime, Sophie remained seated in the Blast Buggy. She didn't succumb to nerves very often, but her current situation had her feeling quite nervous. She hadn't heard from her team in too long, she thought.

The blinking communications light inside the Blast Buggy also had her worried. She had analyzed the signal and knew it was coming from Earth on their emergency frequency. Curiosity got the better of her and she activated the communications controls.

"Officer Carson...I repeat Officer Carson if you can hear our message, please respond."

She heard the voice of S.P.D. Earth's communications technician, Niyako, who sounded worried.

"Newtech City is under attack," Niyako continued. "B-Squad requests your assistance. I repeat Newtech City is under attack and B-Squad needs assistance. Prax and several escaped criminals are advancing on the city."

At that moment, an unsettling sound of static invaded every system inside of Sophie's body. She cut the communications signal from Earth, as she covered her ears, trying to stop the surge throughout her systems. After a second, all sound stopped within the Blast Buggy.

* * *

Inside the Myers Detention Facility, chaos reigned. Morgana and her crew were under heavy attack with the Power Rangers who had once contained them. As Z continued to fight against the villainess Morgana, the Red Ranger was almost enjoying himself as he fought off both Giganus and Wootox. Several feet away from him, Slate finally got free of Murphy's grip, slamming the robotic canine against the wall.

Slate had his eyes on the Green Ranger, as Quinn was matching blow for blow with Sinuku. Slate sprinted towards the Ranger who had intrigued him. They had never fought before and Slate knew his powers might catch the new Ranger off-guard. He ran right towards the Green Ranger's unguarded back.

"Quinn, look out!" Bridge yelled, beneath the Blue Ranger helmet.

Slate already had his foot in the air, going for a dropkick. With one swift motion, Quinn kicked Sinuku away and slid underneath Slate's attempted kick. As the two aliens got to their feet, Bridge was right there, pulling Sinuku away from the area, with his Deltamax Striker in hand.

Quinn followed suit pulling his weapon on Slate.

"Weapons? I can do that," Slate said, as he turned himself into a carbon copy of Sinuku, wielding his silver and red sword.

The change surprised Quinn for a moment, as he looked over at Bridge, seeing him also fighting Sinuku. The Green Ranger's reflexes kicked in quickly, as he dodged Slate's strike and slashed at his chest with the Deltamax Striker, matching the Green Ranger's movements against Sinuku. Both Rangers carried out their training to the letter. As Bridge's striker struck Sinuku, Quinn's struck Sinuku's clone. Their matched movements seemed to catch their opponents off-guard, as they glanced at one another, seeing they were both being pushed backwards.

Quinn & Bridge saw they had the evil villains on the ropes. When they saw the two look at each other, they took their chance. Each Ranger spun around, slashing up across the chest of the monster in front of him. Slate & Sinuku both flew backward through the air, landing against the wall and colliding into one another.

The Blue & Green Rangers stood before them, both pulling their morphers.

"Which is mine?" Bridge asked Quinn, as he stroked his chin with his free hand.

"Does it really matter?" Quinn retorted.

"Nope!" Bridge said, as they both pressed the containment buttons on their morphers, capturing Slate and Sinuku in containment cards.

On the other side of the cafeteria, the Yellow Ranger, fought back against Morgana's onslaught, as she kept trying to stab Z with the knife intended for Cash & Sky. Morgana kicked Z's chest. The Yellow Ranger flew backwards, until Cash Donovan stopped her descent, breaking her fall.

"I love a good chick fight, but do you need some help?" he asked.

"From you? No!" Z said, as she flipped to her feet, swiping at Morgana as she ran towards her.

"I'm not threatened by a strong woman?" Cash yelled out to her, as she saw Z gaining ground on Morgana.

It was then that Cash's eyes veered up to the warden's office, where he now saw that Gaines was looking down on them, angrily. Cash smirked. Z scored a punch on Morgana, which sent her flying over one of the large tables. She joined Cash at his side.

"Looks like we're busted," Z said, looking up at Gaines.

"So is he!" Cash said, furiously, as he ran over to a panel on the wall, labeled EMERGENCY.

"What are you doing?" Z asked.

"The law's on their side...so I think it's time to break a few more to even the odds," Cash said.

He tore open the panel, which housed a small lever. Z read the markings above it. The lever was in place in case a serious emergency required the prison be cleared quickly.

"Warning! For emergency use only. Do not open cell doors without authorization," Z read. "What are you doing?"

"Letting the dogs out," Cash said, as he pulled the lever.

An emergency siren began blaring through the entire prison.

"Warning!" a computerized voice called out. "All prisoner cells have been opened. All prisoner cells have been opened. All guards report to check points for emergency prisoner evacuation."

Cash looked up and saw the panicked look on Alton Gaines' face, as he pounded on the glass window of his office, shouting at Cash. Donovan, however, couldn't hear what he was trying to say.

The other Rangers and monsters paused for only a second to hear the warning. Sky immediately went back to his battle against Giganus, as Bridge ran over, taking some of the pressure off by fighting Wootox.

"Looks like we're about to have company," Bridge said.

"The more the merrier," Sky said, as he kicked Giganus back. "Except when it comes to these guys. I'll take the Myers prisoners any day."

"Boy, you really are at home," Bridge said, as he ducked a blow from Wootox.

The two continued to fight off Giganus and Wootox, as the prisoners began flooding into the area. Cash stayed behind Z as she continued to fend off Morgana. The melee of fighting prisoners began to fill the cafeteria. Cash glanced back up at Gaines office, where he could see angry prisoners had also invaded. Gaines appeared to be begging them to stand down.

They weren't listening, as they overtook him.

Quinn rushed over to Murphy, checking his systems.

"You okay, boy?"

Murphy let out an affirmative bark.

"Good," Quinn said, as he pressed a button on Murphy's neck, causing a light to activate. "I think it's time to make a quick getaway. Lead us out!"

Murphy took off towards a doorway, as Quinn looked back at his comrades.

"We've got a flight to catch!" he yelled before heading off behind Murphy.

Z slashed at Morgana with her Deltamax Striker, sending her collapsing to the ground.

"Let's go," Z said to Cash, leading him off after Quinn.

"Oh no you don't," Morgana said, as she got to her feet.

The two ran right past the Red & Blue Rangers, who were still fighting with Giganus and Wootox near the doorway. They kicked the two monsters backwards, causing them to stagger. Sky & Bridge rushed through the doorway, heading for the small staircase that would lead them up to the rooftop entrance and the waiting Blast Buggy.

Morgana saw the prisoners trashing the cafeteria, as she staggered towards Wootox and Giganus, both holding their hurt chests.

"Don't just stand there! We can't let them get away!" she screamed in anger.

The two monsters rushed off through the doorway. As Morgana prepared to follow, she heard an even more dangerous foe had been born.

"Hey, guys look!" one of the prisoners shouted.

Morgana turned to glance at them. The prisoner was pointing at her.

"It's that lady guard!"

A horde of prisoners began rushing towards her. Morgana sped off after her original prey.

It was only moments before the Rangers reached the staircase and began their climb. Quinn followed Murphy closely. Behind him was Cash and Z. Bridge and Sky stopped at the bottom of the stairs to blast the doorway behind them, just as Wootox & Giganus appeared there. With the two monsters halted temporarily, they ran up the stairs after their comrades.

"A little thanks would be nice," Bridge said, as Sky ran behind him.

"I'll thank you once we're off this rock," he said.

"Oh come on, Sky," Bridge said, still running upwards. "I wouldn't have came in if I didn't have a plan to get out. All we have to do is make it through that door and we'll be home free."

"Home sounds really good right now," Sky said, as they caught up to the others who were standing on the roof.

As Bridge reached them, he noticed that none of them were moving. They all seemed to be standing and looking around. The Blue Ranger rushed through the doorway, running past them towards the launch pad when he noticed what they saw.

The Blast Buggy was gone.

"Sophie?" Bridge said, before yelling, "Sophie!"

* * *

Back on Earth, B-Squad was standing tall. Boom ducked a speedy kick from Relliott and aimed his blaster rifle at him.

"I don't think so, blue boy," Relliott shouted, as he sprinted past Boom.

When he came to a stop, however, he was lit up from behind by a barrage of lasers. Relliott flew into the air and crashed to the ground. Boom looked behind him to see that it was two of the X-Squad robots that had struck the alien criminal, with their wrist-mounted lasers. Boom gave them the thumbs up.

Meters away from him, Rubexa was firing on the Pink Ranger, but Meg Thurman took to the air, avoiding the attack. In midair, she pulled her weapon, sending a barrage of laser strikes raining down on Rubexa. The red-armored criminal collapsed to the ground and before she could get up, two more of the X-Squad were on top of her.

Nearby, Casey Parker, B-Squad's Green Ranger was fighting with Prax. She fired on him, as he raised his arms, gaining strength from his armor, which lit up when the lasers from her rifle hit him. The armor included a forcefield, which prevented the blasts from ever touching him.

"Hehe," Prax laughed. "You're going to have to do better than that!"

"Okay!" Casey shouted, as she came at him with a barrage of kicks and punches.

Several of them caught Prax off-balance, but he was able to fight back, grabbing her foot in mid-kick. He swung the Green Ranger around, sending her flying. Two of the X-Squad robots caught her, preventing her fall.

"Fire!" she said, getting to her feet quickly.

The two robots were joined by two more. With four X-Squad robots behind her, Casey fired her blaster, in unison with theirs. The force of all five weapons hitting Prax was too much, even for his new armor. The green insectoid went flying backwards, crashing into a car.

Several feet away, B-Squad's Yellow Ranger fought off Blaze, as his alien comrade Huragi stood nearby, trying to get a good shot of Duc Sato, to fire his grenade cannon.

"You're going to perish, just like your parents," Blaze sneered at Duc.

"I don't think so," Duc said, as he kicked Blaze away.

Angered at being struck, Blaze grabbed a small grenade from his pocket and activated its detonator. He threw it at Duc, who slid backwards on the ground away from the weapon, as he fired on it with his blaster, detonating it before it could reach him. The backdraft of the explosion caught Blaze, as he crashed to the ground.

"Huragi, now!" Blaze yelled.

Huragi prepared to fire, just as his hand was pulled away from the trigger by an X-Squad robot. Another appeared out of nowhere, grabbing the cannon and tossing it aside. Huragi fought against the grip of the two robots, but was tossed over their heads. He fell to the ground with a thud that cracked a part of the street near Blaze.

With Prax and his monsters down, B-Squad regrouped in front of them, with the twelve Delta X robots standing tall behind them.

"I think this battle is over!" Meg shouted.

"Prepare for containment," Boom said, as they all pulled their morphers.

"Wait!" Casey called out. "We need to deactivate X-Squad first, just in case."

She turned to the robots, which instantly shut down, before she even commanded it. The other members of B-Squad looked curiously at the robots, surprised by their sudden stop.

"That was fast," Boom said, looking at Casey.

"I didn't do anything," she said, looking troubled.

"Let's just finish this," Duc said. "We'll figure them out later."

Before B-Squad could turn back to their enemies, however, Blaze had already retrieved a large detonator from Huragi on the ground. He activated it and tossed it towards B-Squad. The spiked grenade fell to the ground, near B-Squad's feet, exploding. The four members of B-Squad went flying through the air and crashing to the street.

As Prax and his army began struggling to their feet, he cackled again.

"You're not so tough now," he said.

He didn't notice a new arrival on the battlefield. Several meters behind Prax and his army, Sophie stood morphed, watching from behind a piece of wreckage. As she saw B-Squad trying to stand back up, she saw the tilted heads of the deactivated Delta X robots. Sophie pulled her Deltamax Striker in its laser mode and aimed.

She sent a barrage of laser attacks at the feet of Prax and his army, striking them from behind. The army fell once again to the ground in a barrage of spark and smoke. The Pink Ranger calmly walked over to the robots, as B-Squad got to their feet.

"Sophie!" Boom shouted upon seeing her. "Boy, are we glad to see you."

At that moment, the Pink Ranger's head tilted almost ninety-degrees to the side. With that motion, the Delta X robots appeared to be reactivated. B-Squad looked back at them, then at Sophie.

"How did you—" Casey said, her voice trailing off, as they realized Sophie hadn't said a word since arriving.

"Where are the others?" Boom said, growing more suspicious.

"B-Squad..." Sophie spoke, her voice empty and distant. "Prepare to die."

Upon hearing the words, the wrist-mounted lasers on the each of the dozen Delta X robots was pointed directly at the four members of B-Squad.

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

**"Entrapment"**  
_Just when they think the cavalry has arrived, the Pink Ranger  
shocks B-Squad. Surpeme Commander Cruger confronts  
President Cali, finally getting the truth. Piggy makes a bold  
decision to help Syd escape. The Rangers struggle for survival  
in their efforts to escape Fenix Prime and Morgana's forces.  
Kat and Pryce are faced with a shocking truth that leads  
them to the battlefield. A new morpher is activated._


	20. Entrapment

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"ENTRAPMENT"**

Lies. Duplicity. Abandonment. Deceit. Manipulation.

They are all methods of entrapment, used to defeat, to ruin, to conquer. Within the walls of S.P.D. these things have become commonplace. Darkness has fallen upon the legacy of peace brought about by the dedicated. It has invaded every crack in their armor, creating a massive hole of corruption. The vulnerable fall inside the darkness, lost in the shadows and the strong have become the victims of this immorality.

But the victims do not fall. Their refusal to give in to the corruption has become their mandate. The power to go on breeds strength within their souls. They now rebel against the darkness, against the rules that have been used to trap them. To patch the holes of corruption, there is only one course of action. They stand. They stand to recapture the glory of Space Patrol Delta. They stand to restore the honor of the past. They stand to end the corruption. They stand...

...And they fight.

* * *

Amidst the red haze of Fenix Prime, S.P.D. Earth's Red Ranger came into view, glancing up towards the sky, looking for some sign of light, smoke, anything that would signal that a shuttle had been there. He sighed, as he looked to his right, where the Blue Ranger was standing, with one hand clutching the side of his helmet.

"Sophie?" Bridge said quietly to himself, as he shook his head in disbelief. "Where is she?"

He turned to Sky, grabbing the Red Ranger by the shoulders.

"She was here waiting! She's supposed to be right here!" Bridge said emphatically.

Before Sky could find the right response, the sound of another teammate's voice could be heard behind them.

"We've got company," Quinn Gray shouted beneath the Green Ranger helmet.

The two turned to see him pointing at the rooftop entrance to the Myers Detention Facility, as Giganus and Wootox came storming out, both running at top speed, with Morgana not far behind.

"We'll debate your travel plans later," Sky said, as he ducked a punch from Wootox.

Bridge ducked at exactly the same time, avoiding a strike from Giganus. The two Rangers fought their foes with their backs to one another, blocking each kick and punch that came from the two monsters.

"I'm sorry," Bridge said, between grunts.

"I've stayed on Fenix Prime this long. What's a few more hours?" Sky said, as he landed an elbow strike on the side of Wootox's head. "Besides, we've still got these guys to take care of."

Bridge wanted to say more, to tell Sky that he had failed. As he pushed the negative thoughts from his head, he refocused on the task ahead, still unable to avoid the fact that they were all now trapped on the prison planet.

A few meters away, the Yellow Ranger founds herself again embroiled in a fight with Morgana. As the villainous alien brought her sharp knife down for a slash, Z blocked the blow with her Deltamax Striker in sword mode. Morgana forced Z back a few paces, bringing her face close to the Yellow Ranger's helmet.

"I heard you were dead," Morgana said.

"Sorry to disappoint. I can tell you missed me," Z said, sarcastically.

The Yellow Ranger used her heightened power to push Morgana away from her, sending her flying backwards, and a few inches off the ground. As she crashed to the rooftop, Z smirked beneath her helmet. Cash Donovan ran up next to her.

"Good shot," he said. "We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Cash Donovan."

He extended his hand to shake hers, winking.

"Give it a rest," Z said, annoyed.

At that moment, another hand grabbed Cash's shoulder, whipping him around. It was Morgana, who punched him in the face, sending him spiraling to the concrete below. She turned back to Z, with a big smile on her face.

"You're welcome!" she sneered.

Z nodded to Morgana before punching her in the jaw, knocking her down as well.

* * *

Back on Earth, B-Squad found themselves in grave danger. They had managed to keep Prax's forces from venturing into the center of Newtech City. They were technically still on the East Side. However, any fight they had put up against the monsters had no come to a halt, as S.P.D.'s own Delta X Series robots surrounded them. Dubbed X-Squad, the robots had turned on them and Boom was beginning to understand why, as he stared into the black visor of the Pink Ranger's helmet.

"Sophie, what's going on?" Boom said, curiously, ignoring the robot blasters pointed directly at him and his comrades. "What's happened to you?"

"Can't you tell?" Prax yelled from several feet away. His army had all gotten to their feet and now watched in pleasure at B-Squad's trouble. "She's one of us?"

"Actually," Blaze interjected. "She's more like me."

"Evil, you mean," B-Squad's Yellow Ranger, Duc Sato said, glaring at his parents' killer.

"More or less," Blaze said, smirking.

"Cyborgs," Casey muttered at Boom's side.

Boom's mind raced as he realized Sophie's circuitry must have been tampered with, given her apparent control of the Delta X robots. There was no way she could be evil. He grabbed tight to her arms.

"Sophie, listen to me!" Boom yelled. "If you can hear me, it's Boom. We're not the enemy! You have to fight whatever it is that's telling you to do this. X-Squad, you, you're supposed to fight with us, not against us!"

Prax took a few steps forward, a bit worried. Then, Sophie's helmet began to show movement. Her head moved slowly, from side to side. Then, it stared forward, directly at Boom. B-Squad's Blue Ranger tried his best to see inside, to see her eyes. Had he gotten through to her?

Then, Sophie broke free of his grasp quickly, catching him and B-Squad off-guard. With one swift motion she struck his chest with the palm of her hand. As his chest lit up in sparks and smoke, Boom went flying backwards several feet into a tailspin that ended when he collided with a lightpost on the corner of the street.

Disregarding the blasters trained on them, the other members of B-Squad rushed to Boom's side, trying to help him up. As they glanced back at their attackers, they saw them coming towards them once again. Prax was in front with Sophie and Blaze keeping pace right behind him. The three escaped monsters, Rubexa, Relliott and Huragi were behind them and the dozen X-Squad robots pulled up the rear, with their weapons still focused on B-Squad.

"What do we do now?" B-Squad's Green Ranger asked, finally out of ideas.

Prax came to a stop, causing all of them to do the same. He let out a small chuckle.

"Now, I think it's time to surrender!" Prax said, loudly.

* * *

"What are you talking about?" Kat muttered angrily.

Inside the Vanguard X towers, she and Pryce Jensen stood amongst the ransacked office of Dr. Lee Jiang, whom they had discovered was not only responsible for running the company for Barrett Van Tigue, but had also just used some kind of remote to attack B-Squad.

"It doesn't matter now," the elderly Asian man said, his voice low.

"Yes it does!" Kat yelled. "You said you ensured B-Squad would lose. Lose what? Tell us!"

"Maybe he doesn't have to," Pryce said, as he saw a computer monitoring station in the corner of the office.

He handed Kat the remote device and walked over to it, activating the terminal. With a few quick keystrokes, he accessed the S.P.D. satellite system that orbited Earth and allowed them to pick up disturbances all over the city. After a few quick scans, he pinpointed B-Squad's location and pulled up a visual of the group on the East Side of Newtech City.

"Uh oh," Pryce said, as he looked surprised once again. "Look at this."

Kat walked over to him, dragging Dr. Jiang along. She looked over Pryce's shoulder and her jaw dropped.

"What is going on?"

"It looks like B-Squad's down," Pryce explained. "Prax looks to be leading a group of former containment cards...and X-Squad!"

Kat turned her fury back on Dr. Jiang once again.

"You did this! You turned X-Squad against us," Kat said, angrily. "I knew it. I knew those robots would be trouble. How did you do it?"

"I didn't do anything to the _robots_," Dr. Jiang said, scared but defiant.

"Sophie?" 

Kat heard Pryce's shock as he said the Pink Ranger's name. Kat glanced back over at the monitor, seeing Sophie standing with Prax and his army.

"That can't be," Kat said, as she looked to Pryce. "What's Sophie doing?"

Pryce racked his brain trying to find an answer to her question. His eyes searched the room, almost as if they were helping his brain waves move faster. Then, his gaze rested on Kat's hand and the remote device he had just given to her.

"The trigger!" Pryce said, as if he had just had an epiphany.

Pryce took the device from Kat's hand and glanced at Jiang who seemed more nervous after hearing Pryce's revelation.

"He created Sophie," Pryce said to Kat, while still staring at Jiang. "He must have changed her programming with this. She's the trigger!"

Now, with both hands free, Kat grabbed tight to Jiang's collar and pulled him close.

"You made this mess and now you're going to tell us how to fix it!"

Her eyes pierced his, allowing Jiang to see that S.P.D. Earth's commander was looking for any excuse to pounce on him.

* * *

Inside the Galactic Council President's office, Ottomus Cali's body was being held in a position it wasn't meant to. Anubis "Doggie" Cruger had him by the throat. He was a tall creature, but even now, his body was forced up against his desk in Cruger's grip.

"You'd better start talking," Cruger growled in his face.

"Or what? You're going to kill me? Come now, Cruger. You don't have it in you," Cali sneered. "In fact, that's one of the reasons I hate you!"

Cruger grabbed hold of Cali's neck a little tighter, which only seemed to make the President more defiant.

"You don't know how to do what's necessary!" Cali fumed. "You can't take the steps that this galaxy needs to move forward. You're too stuck in the past. That's how I know you won't make good on your threats. You may attack me and that will be all I need to force your resignation and remove you from S.P.D. forever."

Cali let out a small chuckle.

"In fact, that may be even better than your assassination. To see you walk through those doors and face the press and your family in disgrace might be one of my greatest achievements," Cali said. "So go ahead, do it! Strike me! I dare you!"

"That won't be necessary."

The sound of the new voice in the room surprised both of the males. This voice was in stark contrast to theirs. The female walked in further. Cruger released Cali from his grip so that he could turn to see Earth's Representative Alaina Doherty and the president's assistant Tawke had entered.

"Thank goodness you're here," Cali said. "You saw him! Commander Cruger tried to attack me."

"And with good reason I'm sure," Doherty said, casting her serious gaze down on Cali. "Are you all right, Commander? We hadn't been able to reach you on Sirius."

"I'm fine," Cruger said, his gaze never leaving Cali.

"That's more than I can say for our President," Alaina spoke.

"What are you talking about?" Cali said, troubled.

"I'm here to arrest you," Alaina said confidently. "It's you who's about to be dethroned and tossed out with today's trash, Mr. President."

Cruger finally released Cali from his gaze and looked upon Doherty with surprise.

"The truth has come to light," Alaina said. "And I'm afraid it won't be setting you free."

Cali's eyes grew wide, as he was shocked by the representative's words.

* * *

Inside of the abandoned factory owned by Barrett Van Tigue on the East Side of Newtech City, Sydney Drew hung. She continued to try to find a way out of the ropes that restrained her wrists, but she was out of ideas and the pain had spread throughout her upper body. She was losing strength and getting more hopeless by the minute. She looked down on Barrett Van Tigue, who was standing next to the giant metal grinder that would seal her fate forever. She noticed the large smile on his face, as she was being slowly lowered.

"Time's up," Barrett said loudly, trying to project his voice above the sound of the metal grinder. "It's truly a waste to see such a beauty perish."

"But revenge is still sweet," Lady Vishus, his cybernetic bodyguard yelled from afar, with a sneer directed at Syd.

She stood with her hand on the switch, lowering the S.P.D. operative to her fate. She was almost bursting with excitement. In fact, she was so distracted that she never noticed Piggy peeking around the doorway only a few meters away from her. His gaze went from Syd to the grinder to Vishus' hand on the switch to her cane resting on the wall next to her.

Piggy turned away from the doorway once again, letting out a silent sigh.

"What am I getting myself into?" he whispered to himself.

"Vishus, stop!"

Piggy heard Barrett's voice shout and the grinder halted. He peeked back around the doorway just in time to see Vishus walking towards Barrett. Both of them had their eyes trained on the small monitor that hung in the air above, attached to a pole which extended from the ceiling.

"It's working," Barrett said to Vishus. "The Pink Ranger's been turned."

Upon hearing this, Syd looked at the monitor, shocked to see Sophie standing with Barrett's forces. Her worries over her own fate diminished a bit, as she wondered what was to come for B-Squad.

* * *

Blocks away from the factory, Boom was still clutching his chest, as he made it to his knees. His B-Squad comrades were kneeling at his sides, watching their attackers getting a bit closer.

"So, B-Squad, what's it going to be?" Prax said loudly. "Will you surrender or face imminent destruction?"

All eyes fell on Boom. As he felt his anxiety and pain grow, Boom didn't truly know the answer their plight. Boom's next breath was a bit easier to let out, as he flipped open his morpher, ignoring the threat in front of him.

"B-Squad here," he grunted through the pain in his chest. "We could really use some backup, Headquarters."

"B-Squad, this is Command Central," Niyako's light, almost cheerful voice spoke. "I'm sorry...we've been unable to contact Commander Manx or the other Rangers."

B-Squad's Pink Ranger, Meg Thurman looked off in the distance, where she spied the Blast Buggy.

"I have a feeling wherever they are, they can't get back," she deduced.

Beneath his helmet, Boom closed his eyes in defeat.

"However," Niyako continued. "Supreme Commander Cruger has contacted us."

Boom breathed another sigh of relief.

"And?"

"He says you should stand your ground," Niyako said, a bit deflated, as she could sense the desperate need for hope in Boom's voice. "Do not give up."

Even as the words escaped her mouth, she knew that it was easy to say given her safety within the walls of S.P.D. Earth's auxiliary command station. Back on the battlefield, Boom closed his morpher and forced himself to his feet. B-Squad joined him on their feet.

"Guys," Boom said, looking to his friends. "I'm sorry."

Sensing B-Squad's defeat, Prax began to chuckle once again.

"Yes, I can feel Space Patrol Delta's demise," Prax said, as he raised his arms in celebration.

"But," Boom continued, as he stared straight at Prax and his army. "We can't just give up! You heard our orders! We stand our ground!"

"What?" Prax said, surprised for a moment. "Destroy them!"

As the criminal monsters, X-Squad, Blaze and the Pink Ranger swarmed B-Squad, Prax joined them. But in one instant they were all left in shock, as with one swift rise of their hands to the sky, B-Squad jetted into the air above the fray, catching their opponents off-guard. They all looked around to see where B-Squad had disappeared. As they all looked to the sky, a barrage of laser fire rained down upon them, sending robots, monsters, criminals and cyborgs diving to the ground.

In a circle-formation, B-Squad descended towards the street, firing in unison and not stopping until they reached the ground as one. Once there, they had their rifles drawn again, with their eyes on their enemies.

"We're not giving up that easily," Boom grunted, as B-Squad rushed back into their mass of foes.

* * *

"Keep trying," Quinn Gray spoke to the robotic patrol hound, Murphy, as he knelt by his side.

The two were in a corner of the rooftop, where the Green Ranger had Murphy scanning for some sign of the Blast Buggy. He had come up empty, however.

"See if you can detect any other shuttles on the planet. They have to have some kind of emergency transports," Quinn said, thinking back to the emergency warnings he heard inside the prison.

As if on cue, the released prisoners had also made their way to the rooftop, which was now more crowded than ever.

"Holler if you find anything," Quinn said to Murphy before running into the fray.

Some of the prisoners seemed to be trying to climb down the side of the building, many falling to the mountainous caverns below. Quinn saw Bridge in the distance, fighting with Giganus, while Z was still busy with Morgana.

As Quinn pushed past several of the prisoners who seemed to be fighting amongst themselves, he spotted the Red Ranger fighting closely with Wootox. He hopped onto the shoulders of a few prisoners, launching himself into the air, as he pulled his Deltamax Striker, firing down on Wootox.

The alien criminal collapsed to the ground, as Quinn took a position at Sky's side.

"Thought you could use a little help," he said to his half-brother.

"From you...anytime," Sky said, as Wootox jumped back to his feet and swung at him, while kicking at Quinn.

Wootox's kick caught the Green Ranger, but Sky managed to duck the swiping blow and elbowed Wootox in the back, causing him to stagger forward. On the rooftop concrete, Quinn sent a leg upwards, catching Wootox on the chin with a powerful strike. The monster was once again on his back, as Sky helped Quinn to his feet.

"Ready to say goodbye to this guy?" Quinn asked.

"You know it," Sky said, as he pulled his morpher from its holster.

"Wait! No!" Wootox yelled.

It was too late. Sky had already pressed the containment button on his morpher, causing the monster to shrink, contained for good, just as a barrage of prisoners stomped over the card, in a frenzy. Sky moved forward to grab it, but it was too late. He was sure the prisoners would have trampled him as well. The two watched almost in awe at the mass of male prisoners that had ascended to the rooftop, all clamoring for some way to escape, even if it meant destroying their brethren to do it.

* * *

"Tawke! How could you let these people in here?" Cali said, angrily looking at his assistant.

"I had no choice," Tawke said.

"You've betrayed me. I trusted you," Cali said, attempting to look hurt.

"You betrayed us all!" Tawke yelled. "My loyalty was wasted on you."

"She's right," Alaina chimed in. "That goes for everyone on the Council. We've all been made aware of your plot to destroy the foundation for which the Galactic Council was built."

"You're all insane," Cali said. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't play games, Cali," Cruger said. "Can't you see all of your lies are unraveling around you. It's time to come clean."

"The Council has uncovered evidence that you had plans to disband the Council, getting rid of representative government in the process. You conspired with several dishonored members of this organization including Shivan Sevarus and Trixx of Triforia to make your plans come true," Doherty explained.

"What?" Cruger said, shocked. "You were behind the treachery on Triforia?"

Cali simply stared, like a deer in the headlights.

"It's true," Tawke said. "I heard him speaking with Commander Trixx."

"Then, you proceeded to go behind the back of Representative Pheon to influence the votes of the Barconians, whom you betrayed by orchestrating the attack on their convoy near Triforia," Doherty continued. "But that became old hat to you, didn't it? After all, you also preyed on Representative Urgundii's vulnerabilities when it came to his votes because of the terrorism on Fernovia."

"You set this all up," Cruger said. "I thought you had a grudge against me, but you've been out to undermine us all!"

"You all know nothing!" Cali said, filled with anger.

"The Council knows that you are no longer worthy of this position," Alaina spoke. "I have formal charges here. You can resign if you wish to save face, but it will do you no good, as we have already alerted all authorities and the media to your crimes."

Doherty walked over to face Cruger.

"We are truly sorry, Commander Cruger," Doherty said. "The Council regrets the sanctions against S.P.D. Earth and the incarceration of Sky Tate. He's hereby exonerated. Representative Delphine is contacting Fenix Prime right now to secure his release."

"It will do you no good," Cali said, under his breath.

Doherty & Cruger both looked at him.

"Tate should be dead by now."

Cruger took a few angry steps towards Cali's desk, causing the alien man to step away from him.

"What have you done?"

"I sent some old friends of his...and yours to destroy him, for good!" Cali said, angrily.

Doherty placed an arm on Cruger's, trying to prevent him from attacking Cali. She wanted to hear what he had to say.

"You just don't get it!" Cali shouted. "None of you do. All of Galaxy Command is a farce and it's thanks to S.P.D. Earth! All of the planets, all of the representatives, you all think you have some mighty power. You make selfish decisions and you cast down your values on everyone else. It all stems from Earth. Cruger and his Rangers! Galaxy Command cannot survive with so many voices in control! There needs to be a singular voice. I should be that voice!"

"With you in control, the Galactic Alliance would crumble," Cruger growled.

"But it won't," Doherty said. "The other representatives have all contacted their planets. The threat has been contained."

"You can't contain me!" Cali said. "I'm the president."

Cali headed for the doorway to his office, almost pushing Tawke to the side. But before he could call for the doors to open, they slid aside revealing several S.P.D. officers, with laser pistols drawn and cuffs in hand. Cali's eyes grew wide again, as he was grabbed by the officers and arrested.

"You can't do this to me!" Cali yelled.

"I could think of no better way to end this," Cruger said, watching intently.

"At least your precious Earth will fall!" Cali shouted in anger. "It's too late for them! Barrett Van Tigue will see to that!"

"What do you know about Barrett Van Tigue?" Cruger asked, curiously.

"He shares my ideals for a singular voice to control the masses," Cali revealed. "Barrett Van Tigue has plans for Earth that will cause the final elimination of S.P.D. there. I helped him get just what he needed! I may be headed for prison, but I will laugh in your faces as you watch your precious Rangers fall and die, just like Sky Tate!"

"You've been in league with Van Tigue this entire time," Cruger said, disgusted. "Get him out of here!"

The officers dragged Cali from the office, a Cruger slammed his fists down on Cali's desk.

"He's ruined us all," Cruger growled.

"Maybe not completely," Doherty said to him, giving Cruger hope.

* * *

"No!" Barrett yelled at the monitor hovering in the air inside the factory. "Why won't they just give up?"

"Because S.P.D. doesn't give up," Syd said from above. "You still haven't learned that."

Barrett let out an angry yell at her, as his cellphone rang. He picked up the device and recognized the caller. He nodded to Vishus.

"Finish her off!" he said, as he left the room and stepped outside of the factory, answering his cell. "Prax, what the hell is going on over there?"

"Sir, we're trying!" Prax yelled through the explosions happening behind him.

The green insectoid alien had taken refuge behind a parked car, which too was smoking.

"They are fighting back," Prax revealed.

"I can see that from here, you moron!" Barrett yelled. "Get them to surrender, now! If that doesn't work, just kill them all!"

Back inside the factory, Vishus happily skipped towards the lever that would lower Syd to her grizzly fate.

"I have to say, I've dreamed of this moment," Vishus said as she put her hand on the lever and activated it. She turned back to face Syd smiling as she continued her descent.

Just then, Piggy came through the doorway and pushed Vishus from behind, knocking the cyborg into the metal grinder.

"Sweet dreams," Piggy muttered.

Her exposed cheek hit the machine, as she fell to the ground. Piggy ran over to the lever. With his black cane in one hand, he raised the lever, stopping Syd's descent. Then, Piggy cut off the grinder below her.

"Piggy!" Syd said, shocked. "I can't believe it's you."

"Hold on," Piggy said, as he tried to push the heavy machine out from under Syd.

The machine barely moved, proving to be too heavy for his small, lanky frame to move. As he tried, Syd began to shift her weight on the ropes, getting into a swinging motion. When she glanced back down at Piggy, she saw Lady Vishus was back on her feet, grabbing her own cane on the floor near the doorway.

"Look out!" Syd yelled.

Piggy ducked, as Vishus' cane collided with the metal grinder. She continued to swipe at the alien creature, who ducked every one of her blows, until he tripped and fell. As his butt hit the floor, Piggy gasped. Vishus sneered at him.

"This is gonna feel so good," Vishus said.

She grabbed the head of her cane to release the sword that she kept hidden inside. But, as she pulled, the cane's head didn't budge. She continued to try, as she looked puzzled. On the ground, Piggy smiled.

"Looking for this?" he said, as he pulled the head of his cane, revealing the sword.

"Ahhhh," Vishus yelled in anger.

Piggy swiped the blade at her, cutting his own cane, which he had switched with hers. The wooden stick broke in two in Vishus hands. Using them as weapons, she plunged both of them down at Piggy, who rolled out of her way, getting to his feet. He continued to go at Vishus with the sword, but had no luck in making contact. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Syd had worked up a great swinging motion with the rope and was swinging so far across the room that she swung past the grinder.

Piggy ducked another swiping attack from Vishus and used the head of the sword to strike her across the face. As she staggered, Piggy tossed the sword into the air, sending it straight towards the ropes that tied Syd's hands. In an instant, the ropes were cut and Syd went swinging into the air. She flipped herself over to the pole that held the hovering monitor, using it to swing closer to the ground. Launching herself off of it, she flipped down to the floor near the doorway.

"Nice trick," Vishus yelled, as Syd turned to see she was now holding Piggy by the throat. "But this party's over."

"Piggy," Syd said in a low voice.

"Just go," Piggy said, as he gestured towards the hanging, broken monitor. "They need you more than I do."

"But, I can't leave you here."

"Yes, you can," Piggy said. "I didn't save you so I could be free."

Despite every fiber of her being telling her not to, Syd rushed through the back doorway of the factory, exiting.

"That is a mistake you're going to regret for about five minutes," Vishus whispered into his ear.

"Oh? That long?"

"That's just the amount of time it'll take to destroy you," Vishus sneered.

* * *

"Impossible."

Dr. Jiang's answer to Kat's request was simple. She wanted him to tell her how to stop the battle raging in Newtech City.

"I refuse to believe a brilliant mind like yours didn't have a backup in place to stop all of this," Kat said.

Pryce studied the remote device in his hand.

"Maybe we can reprogram it," he said, anxiously, as he looked back at the battle scene, seeing Sophie fighting against B-Squad's Pink Ranger.

"There's no way to stop them," Jiang said. "The Delta X robots will not disobey Sophie's internal commands. She's the true remote. That was only an activation device. It only works one way."

"There has to be a way," Kat said, as she stared into Jiang's eyes. "Think!"

Jiang rolled his eyes.

"Not every scientific problem has a suitable solution," Jiang said. "The only way to stop the robots is to wipe out their connection to Sophie and the only way to accomplish that is by wiping her mainframe clean. You would destroy the very essence of her, leaving behind only an empty shell. Is that impossible enough for you?"

Kat released Jiang from her grip, with a bit of a nudge that caused him to fall to the floor amongst the clutter of his office. As she turned to face Pryce, he could see that sadness had replaced anger in her.

"What?" he asked.

"You heard him," Kat said somberly. "I know what we have to do."

* * *

Inside the Galactic Council President's office, Anubis Cruger remained standing in front of the vacant desk. He stood there waiting, wondering what Alaina Doherty meant.

"I don't understand how I could have missed all of this," Cruger said. "I'm the Supreme Commander, I should have saw his treachery."

"We were all misled by him," Doherty said. "But it is not too late to set things right."

Cruger took a heavy breath.

"I must go to help my Rangers. They need me."

"I agree," Doherty said. "But Sky Tate may need you more. If Cali's threat was accurate, then Sky is in mortal danger. You must rescue him."

"Earth is under attack," Cruger said.

"Don't worry," Doherty said. "If you trust me, then believe me when I say that Earth will be saved. I have it taken care of. You must go to Fenix Prime. If Sky Tate is killed, the honor of this Council will die with him. We cannot let that happen."

Cruger had spent so many years avoiding her trust. Even now he questioned every thought that would lead him away from Earth. But as he gazed into her eyes, truly for the first time, he knew that Alaina Doherty felt the same way he did about Earth.

"Okay," Cruger said. "But I have one request."

"Anything."

"My wife and children," Cruger said. "I don't know the extent of what Sevarus did to them. They need to be checked out by someone we can trust."

"I'll see to it personally," Alaina said, with a smile.

"Thank you," Cruger said, sincerely before rushing out of the office.

* * *

Back on Earth, the battle nearing the center of Newtech City was getting fiercer. The Pink Ranger scored a swift kick on her B-Squad counterpart, sending Meg Thurman falling the ground, just as Boom showed up, taking on Sophie. He swung at her with his rifle.

"Sophie, I don't wanna hurt you!" Boom said, as he fought close enough for her to hear him.

With a swift swipe, she knocked the rifle away, scoring a side kick on Boom, which sent the Blue Ranger flying into the car, where Prax had been hiding.

"That's too bad, because I'm looking forward to your destruction," Sophie said, her voice dark and ominous, scaring Boom.

She had her Deltamax Striker pointed directly at him, then she raised the weapon. Boom sighed. She wasn't going to shoot him. Then she lowered her arm completely.

"Fire!" she shouted.

At that moment, three Delta X robots appeared in front of Boom, firing on him and the car, sending his body flying up into the air in front of the car, which was turned into a virtual bomb after being fired upon. The blast had B-Squad's Blue Ranger enveloped in flames and sparks.

Prax went running into a nearby alley to escape the blaze.

"Barrett?" he talked into his large cellphone. "Barrett, are you there? I think you're going to like this."

Nearby, Meg was getting to her feet, as she saw Boom's assistance had led him to be hurt.

"Boom!" she shouted, as she began running towards him, only to be blocked by the large criminal, Rubexa.

"Hold it," Rubexa yelled.

The ruby red armor worn by Rubexa barely had any scratches on it, as she faced down the Pink Ranger, with her own laser rifle drawn. She fired on Meg, who didn't stop running. At full speed, she avoided each laser strike as it hit the ground near her feet. She vaulted into the air, flipping behind Rubexa. As the much-larger alien turned, Meg met her with a swift kick. The alien staggered backwards, allowing Meg to get her own rifle ready for fire.

"You're going down!" Meg shouted.

But before she could fire on the criminal, she found herself enveloped in sparks and smoke coming from the laser blasts of three more Delta X robots, who had fired on her from afar. B-Squad's Pink Ranger collapsed onto the ground.

Several feet away, Duc Sato was battling Blaze, who had been unable to use his explosives against B-Squad's Yellow Ranger. Duc knew he had to keep Blaze on his toes and on the move. In the distance behind Blaze, Duc could see Huragi aiming towards them. With his rifle strapped across his shoulder, Duc grabbed both of Blaze's hands as they went for karate chops on him. He restrained him and glanced at Huragi, just as the monster was about to fire on him.

The small explosive seemed to move in slow motion towards B-Squad's Yellow Ranger.

"Not this time," Duc mumbled, as he pushed off the ground, taking to the air, with Blaze still in his arms.

As he saw the detonator heading for a van parked on the street, he kicked Blaze in the chest in midair, causing the cyborg to fly towards the van just as it ignited from Huragi's bomb. The cyborg went flying straight into the flaming wreckage, screaming. Duc came to a halt behind Huragi, who was watching in shock.

Duc fired on the monster with his blaster rifle, sending him flying into the air in a barrage of laser energy. Duc watched closely as he saw Blaze emerge from the wreckage of the burning van. Most of the cyborg's skin had been burned off, but he was still standing. As he glanced down at his exposed circuitry, he screamed in anger.

"No!" Blaze yelled.

Duc came towards him with his rifle raised.

"That was for my parents," Duc said. "Now it's time for you to be contained!"

At that moment, he heard the cocking of several blasters behind him. Duc's eyes closed for a second, as he turned and saw three of the Delta X robots with weapons trained on him. They fired, sending him collapsing to the ground. His suit smoking, he could barely move, but as he opened his eyes, he saw Blaze standing above him. The cyborg's chuckle haunted his soul.

On the other side of the street, Casey Parker was getting the better of Relliott, despite his use of his super speed. She fired her laser rifle in a straight line, quickly after him, until he paused for only a second, causing her to catch him. Relliott was knocked off his feet. B-Squad's Green Ranger ran over to him, placing a foot on his chest to prevent him from getting up. She pulled her weapon on him again.

"Not so fast," she said, with an unseen smile.

Just then, a barrage of lasers struck her, sending the Green Ranger flying into the air and collapsing to the ground. The Delta X robots had struck again. As the other Rangers staggered towards her, she clutched her chest. None of them were walking for long, as another barrage of laser pistols struck them, sending them all collapsing to the ground.

In the middle of the four, Casey Parker groaned in pain.

"Surrender might not have been a bad idea," she grunted.

* * *

"V, we may not have long," Barrett said, as he walked back into the factory the same way he had exited. "Is it done?"

Barrett stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Vishus standing over Piggy, with her foot planted at the base of his throat. She looked over at Barrett.

"There's been a change of plans," Vishus sneered.

"You're telling me!" Barrett said, as he looked up and saw the ropes that had held Syd had been cut. "What happened?"

"Your associate, Piggy returned. He freed her!"

"Dammit," Barrett said. "It's all falling apart."

"Your plans are salvageable," Vishus said, before she cast her steely gaze back down on Piggy. "Which is more than I can say for this worthless piece of trash."

"He can wait," Barrett said, as he appeared almost in a panic. "If Syren's gotten away, she can tell someone everything we said to her."

"Who's she going to tell?" Vishus said, annoyed. "S.P.D. is falling."

"No! They're fighting back," Barrett said. "We don't have time for this. Come on. It's time for my contingency plan."

"Can't I kill Piggy first?" Vishus whined.

"No," Barrett said. "He can wait. Tie him up. He won't be going anywhere. I'll only need you for a few minutes. Now, move it!"

Barrett walked towards the back of the factory, walking through a pair of double doors. Vishus let out a scream of anger, before she looked back down at Piggy.

"Once Barrett's equalizer is activated, you're butt is mine," Vishus sneered at him.

"Great," Piggy mumbled.

* * *

Commander Kat Manx and Dr. Pryce Jensen ran at top speed out of Vanguard X towers, heading for the patrol jeep they had driven there.

"You sure we should have left Jiang like that?" Pryce asked, as they ran.

"Trust me. He won't be able to get out of those cuffs. I'll send someone back to arrest him, soon," Kat said. "For now, we've got bigger problems."

As she hopped into the driver's seat, Kat felt she was sitting on something. It was her handheld communicator. She had left it inside the jeep the entire time she was inside. She activated it.

"Command Central, do you read me?" she called out.

"Commander Manx, what's your status?" Niyako wondered. "We've been trying to contact you."

"I know. I'm sorry," Kat said.

"B-Squad is in terrible trouble against an army of—"

"Yes, I know," Kat said, cutting her off. "The Officers...where are they?"

"We're not sure, but Sophie has appeared on the battlefield. Sir, she's working for the enemy," Ghiren spoke from the tracking station.

"I'm aware," Kat said, as she glanced over at Pryce. "Keep trying to contact the other Rangers. Dr. Jensen and I are heading to the East Side."

"Yes ma'am," Niyako spoke. "Also, we've gotten word from Commander Cruger. He's safe."

Kat closed her eyes, sighing in relief.

"Thank you, Niyako. You and Ghiren hold down the fort until I get back there," Kat ordered, before signing off.

She threw the communicator into her pocket and started the jeep.

"You still haven't told me what you intend to do to stop this," Pryce said.

"You heard Dr. Jiang," Kat said, as she looked over at him. "The only way to bring those robots down is to cut off their connection to Sophie."

"But that would mean wiping Sophie's mainframe," Pryce said, troubled at the prospect.

Kat took a deep breath and looked deep into his eyes.

"We have to do whatever it takes to stop them," Kat said. "No matter what."

She pressed her foot on the gas pedal and the jeep sped into motion.

"It's time to get our hands dirty," Kat said, as she focused her eyes on their destination.

* * *

"I love a good Blue Ranger bashing!" Giganus yelled, as he held tight to Bridge's leg, swinging him into a crowd of prisoners, sending them all falling to the rooftop.

"Well, get used to red!" a voice called out from behind him.

Giganus turned quickly to see the Red Ranger. Sky punched Giganus across the face, causing his entire body to twist around. The Green Ranger was waiting there with a swift kick to the face, which sent Giganus falling backwards into the crowd of prisoners.

The crowd was quickly becoming an unending pit. The Rangers could barely see one another, as the rooftop was overflowing with prisoners, causing several to be accidentally, and some purposely, to be pushed off the ledge, falling to their demise.

Quinn reached out a gloved hand through the crowd, reaching for Sky. Once their hands met, they pulled themselves together through the mass of bodies.

"Where's Bridge?" Sky wondered.

"Uh...up here!" Bridge called out.

The two Rangers looked above the crowd, seeing the Blue Ranger wading through them as if he was on top of a mosh pit. They pulled him down.

"We gotta find Z!" Bridge said, as they began making their way through the crowd.

"And Giganus!" Sky seethed.

Several meters away, Quinn heard the load bark of Murphy, mixed with a siren call. He had found something.

"Wait!" Quinn said. "It's Murphy. He must have found a way out of here."

"So did I!" Bridge yelled, as he pointed up to the sky.

The trio of Rangers looked above, as an S.P.D. shuttle was descending into view. A grappling cord was beginning to descend towards them.

"Murphy!" Quinn yelled. "Here, boy!"

Several prisoners seemed to collapse to the ground in the crowd, as the Rangers watched. Soon, they saw that it was Murphy barreling through them, knocking them all over. He stopped at Sky's feet, wagging his tail excitedly.

"Good job," Sky said, patting him on the head.

He attached the grappler to Murphy and yanked on it causing it to retract to the shuttle.

"All right," Sky said to his teammates. "Let's find the rest of our team."

They waded through the crowd looking for the Yellow Ranger. On the other side of the rooftop, she was fighting feverishly with Morgana and knocked her to the ground with a fierce kick. Morgana screamed out when she hit the concrete.

"There she is!" one of the prisoners yelled. "Get her!"

"Hands off, boys!" Cash yelled at Z's side, until he realized the prisoners had their sights on Morgana. "Oh...nevermind."

Z grabbed Cash's arm and began pulling him through the crowd, just as she bumped into Bridge.

"There you are," Bridge said. "You ready to get out of here?"

"Sure," Z said.

The grappling line was lowering towards them once again, as the search light from the shuttle had located the pack of Rangers amidst the crowd of fighting prisoners. Sky grabbed Cash with one arm and the cord with the other. Quinn grabbed a piece next, followed by Bridge and then Z. As the cord began to ascend away from the rooftop, they could hear the screams for escape and for help from the other prisoners. In the middle of them all was Morgana.

"Wait!" she yelled. "You can't just leave me here!"

The Rangers watched in silence as the prisoners began pulling at her arms, ripping at her security guard uniform.

"Ahhhh," Morgana said, as she pushed them away. "Get off me, you buffoons! Giganus! Giganus, help me!"

It was at that moment that she was pushed to the ground from behind. As she turned over she saw the person who had pushed her was Giganus, in his human form of Dru Harrington. He smiled.

As the prisoners swarmed her, he tilted his head.

"Sorry," Dru said, as he retreated into the crowd of prisoners, leaving Morgana behind.

Her piercing screams were all the Rangers heard, as they all loaded into the shuttle, which sped out into the atmosphere of space, leaving Fenix Prime behind.

* * *

Now demorphed, the four Rangers, Murphy and Cash Donovan all breathed easier inside the back compartment of the small shuttle. Just then, the doors to the cockpit slid open and Sam Hastings appeared. From across the room, Z Delgado saw him.

"Sam!" she said, with a smile, which quickly faded as she remembered his last words of anger to her.

The teenager's face was still filled with anger...but only for a moment before he smiled. Sam rushed over, hugging Z.

"I guess we have you to thank for this," she said.

"Are you kidding?" Sam said, still in her embrace. "I didn't come alone."

The group looked to the doorway again, when they heard a familiar Sirian grumble. Cruger walked straight up to Bridge.

"Carson!" he yelled. "Would you mind telling me what you were doing on Fenix Prime?"

"Uh, sir," Bridge started. "It's a long story. But, let's just say that—"

"I needed him, sir," Sky spoke. "I was in danger and they saved my life."

"Look, Commander," Bridge looked at Cruger somberly as he spoke. "I know I broke the rules, but if I hadn't come Sky would have been—"

"Killed," Cruger finished his sentence. "I know. President Cali is responsible for this. In fact, he's responsible for it all, even your sentencing."

"I don't understand," Sky said, troubled. "Why?"

"It was all part of his attempt to shut down S.P.D. Earth and the Galactic Council. But we don't have time to get into it right now. I'll explain it all later," Cruger explained. "We need to get back to Earth as quick as we can. B-Squad is in a fight for their lives."

Cruger returned to the cockpit. As silence filled the rear compartment, they all began to digest what Cruger had told them. A conspiracy had sent Sky to prison? President Cali was the enemy? It all took a while to sink in.

Cash Donovan, however, was detached from that situation and instead chose to focus on more positive things. He walked closer to Z.

"Now that we're out of danger, I'd love to know the name of my savior," he said, with a wink.

Z smirked at him, just as Sky walked up behind her.

"I didn't know you were into ghosts, Donovan," Sky said.

Z sighed, as she turned to Sky.

"I'm sorry," Z said. "It was an undercover thing."

"Figures," Sky said. "I'm just glad you're not dead."

"Thanks."

A few feet away, Quinn saw Bridge staring out a window at the stars whizzing by the speeding shuttle.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I can't stop thinking about her," Bridge said sadly. "What happened to Sophie? Why would she just leave us like that?"

"Maybe she went back to Earth," Quinn surmised. "I mean if B-Squad's in trouble, they had to have sent out a call for help. She's probably there."

"I don't know, Quinn. I just have this bad feeling that something's happened to Sophie," Bridge answered.

"For what it's worth, I hope you wrong," Quinn said.

Over Quinn's shoulder, Bridge saw Sam sitting in one of the seats, staring at the Omega morpher. Bridge looked curious and walked over to him.

"What's up?"

"It won't work," Sam said, with a sigh. "Every time I try to use it, the morpher just cuts off and I get this intense pain. Commander Cruger should have left me on Andruss III."

"Hmm," Bridge said, as he took a seat next to Sam. "Let me take a look."

Sam handed Bridge the morpher and after a few quick examinations, he popped open the morpher's power cell. By then, Quinn and Murphy had joined them.

"So, can you tell what's wrong with it?" Sam wondered.

"Well, there's good news and bad news," Bridge announced.

"Better start with the bad news," Quinn said.

"Sam's DNA was used to activate the morpher, but from there it was Jack's DNA that powered it," Bridge explained. "Without the steady flow of energy from Jack's blood, it's shutting off and I don't know how to fix it."

Sam frowned.

"What's the good news?" he asked Bridge.

"Kat would know how to fix it easily and we're heading to Earth now so problem solved," Bridge said, with a smile.

Sam's frown disappeared. He just hoped Kat would have time to fix it for him.

* * *

Back on Earth, the four members of B-Squad were all down on the ground, hurt and beaten badly. Duc, Boom, Casey and Meg. Given the intense pain each of them felt, they forgot they were still morphed.

Prax and his army all stood above them. They had backed themselves up to the concrete wall of a large building, but there was no where for B-Squad to run, as the villainous army blocked their way.

"It's all over!" Prax said, in anger. "There's no need to continue on this track. This planet isn't worthy of your heroic antics. Just give it up! If you do so willingly, we may spare your lives."

Boom looked up at the robots, the three escaped aliens, and even the two cyborgs. As his eyes rested on the Pink Ranger among them, he could not see any other alternative. The other members of B-Squad watched as their Blue Ranger's helmet dropped slowly towards the ground. As if on cue, their own helmets dropped a bit. They knew what he was about to do.

Boom raised his head to face Prax once again. He couldn't even get to his feet, which he wanted so desperately. If he was going to surrender, it seemed more honorable to do it on his feet.

The pain, however, was too much for him to stand at that moment. He let out a loud sigh that he was sure even the robots could hear. A tear fell from Boom's cheek as he opened his mouth to speak.

* * *

Sydney Drew had never run so much in her entire life. She had been on a dead run for almost twenty minutes in her trek towards S.P.D. Earth Headquarters. Once it came into view, she stopped dead in her tracks. It wasn't how she had left it. The Delta Command Base was gone. Syd looked over at the small structure that was a shack compared to the Delta Command Base. She shook her head.

Z had tried to prepare her for it, but seeing the Delta Command Base gone still struck Syd hard. It was at that moment that she remembered not seeing Z or Bridge on the monitor of the battle. Where were they?

As Syd approached the auxiliary station, she grabbed her cellphone dialed Z. When she got no answer she ended the call. It was then that she saw a message from Z on the phone. She activated it, as she entered the auxiliary station and began wandering around, wondering what she was looking for.

She knew she had to help B-Squad. She just didn't know how. Sophie had her powers and she was using them against the cadets. Syd listened closely as Z's message played...

"_Hey, it's me," Z's voice sounded rushed. "I hope everything's safe. Look, I've got to go help Bridge with some Ranger stuff. Call me when you can...and if you need some help while I'm gone, just make your way home, okay." _

Syd continued to look down the small corridors of the auxiliary station. This didn't look like home. In her ear, Z's message continued.

"In Dr. Jensen's lab, on the back wall under the S.P.D. symbol, there's a hatch. Look inside. You'll have to use your security clearance code. I think there's something there you should see. It's room 6 in the new base. Be safe."

Syd found the room Z referenced in her message and she walked inside. Following Z's directions to the letter, she removed the silver briefcase from the hatch and placed it on Dr. Jensen's desk. Syd took a deep breath before opening the case. As she lifted the lid, she knew exactly what Z was referring to. Syd took the gold morpher into her hand and brought it up to her eyes so she could get a good look at it.

As her thoughts veered to Anna and Mia, Syd closed her eyes a bit. When she opened them, she grasped the Nova Ranger morpher a bit tighter. Then, she noticed something else on Dr. Jensen's desk. His monitor was showing the readings on a project he had been working on before his speedy departure.

Syd glanced close at the layout of the Delta Squad Megazord Mark 2 and another smaller vehicle that she didn't immediately recognize. She shook her head, trying to shake that curiosity from her mind. She turned away from the desk and took a deep breath.

Syd strapped the Nova morpher to her wrist and pressed the activation button.

"Back to action," she said to herself, as she went running out of the laboratory.

TO BE CONCLUDED IN...

**"Justice"**  
_S.P.D. Earth gets reinforcements they never expected. Sky,  
Cruger and the other Rangers arrive back in Newtech City,  
looking to end the battle. Everyone is shocked by the sudden  
appearance of Nova Ranger, who sets her sights on stopping  
Van Tigue. Piggy gets an unlikely rescuer. Bridge is forced  
to make a touch decision in the heat of battle. Barrett  
Van Tigue unveils his equalizer, which threatens to put  
Newtech City in even more danger._


	21. Justice

**POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA**  
YEAR THREE

**"JUSTICE"**

"_The toughest job that any Commander faces is the fact that those they order into battle may not return," Cruger said solemnly. "It's an inevitable consequence of command. You had to experience it. It's tough and it's horrifying, I know."_

"_I know it was just a simulation, but I had to sacrifice my friends. I consider S.P.D. my family," Kat said. "I'm not sure I could make that decision again, if the circumstances were real."_

"_You could," Cruger said. "I know it feels like you never would, but when the fate of the planet you're sworn to protect is in danger, you have to do your duty and the duty of the Commander is to make sure that their planet is protected, not their Rangers. They know the risks and so do you. Those citizens that you chose to protect do not."_

"_Now that I have the job, I'm not sure I want it."_

Kat snapped herself out of the memory from her recent past. Her conversation with Doggie Cruger had been replaying in her head since she left Vanguard X. She was headed into a battle whose outcome would hinge on her doing her duty. Even now, it was a duty she was unsure she could carry out. Her mind veered back to that conversation with Cruger.

"I may not like the rules, but I can't leave the game," she said aloud.

Doctor Pryce Jensen who was seated next to her in the speeding patrol jeep glanced over.

"What?" he said, looking curious.

"It's something I told a friend once," Kat said. "He managed to convince me of something by forcing me to convince myself."

Pryce didn't respond. As the silence between them grew, the sound of the jeep's roaring engine and accompanying siren seemed to get louder. Kat swerved around a right corner. Up ahead, Pryce knew they were approaching their destination. The smoke and scattered fires were a desperate sign.

Boom could barely raise his heavy bones from the ground, let alone his voice. He glanced at his sides and saw that his B-Squad teammates were all also feeling the pain and heavy burden of defeat at their fingertips. B-Squad's Blue Ranger looked up into the evil eyes of Prax, at the head of his army, bearing down on them, waiting, demanding their surrender. Boom silently nodded his head.

"Well!" Prax shouted in front of them. "Let's hear it! Do you surrender or die?"

He didn't believe in giving up, but Boom never knew it would become this hard to fight. He felt alone for the first time since joining this team. It was a feeling that he would never fathom before this day. Space Patrol Delta was a family. He opened his mouth to give Prax exactly what he wanted.

Then he heard the approaching sirens. His breathing seemed to return to normal. The tear that fell from his eye was not joined by any others, as he realized his family reunion had come.

"You want our surrender, Prax?" Boom said, his voice low, practically grunting. "Never!"

Prax chuckled so loud it was no wonder he didn't hear the approaching vehicle. The patrol jeep screeched to a halt behind the army of monsters and robots as a barrage of laser strikes hit the group just as they turned around. Prax and his army went flying as a result of the attack. Once the Prax got to his feet he saw the identity of the culprits.

"More S.P.D.!" he shouted.

Kat turned off the jeep and stood up on her seat next to Pryce, who had fired the blast at the monsters. He handed Kat a second laser pistol, which she trained on Prax.

"You're all under arrest," Kat said, as she nodded to Boom.

Boom nodded back, as he struggled to his feet, along with the rest of B-Squad.

"I don't think so!" Prax yelled, furiously.

"We're going to stop you whether you like it or not," Kat said, as her eyes narrowed on Sophie.

"You and what army?" Prax said, defiantly. "Destroy them all!"

At that moment, B-Squad tried to attack, but were quickly confronted by Blaze, Sophie, Huragi and Relliott. Prax pointed to the patrol jeep where Kat & Pryce were. This caused the Delta X robots to head there, firing their arm-mounted blasters. Kat & Pryce tried to duck for cover, but the open jeep provided little comfort. The villainous escapee Rubexa joined the robots, with her sights on S.P.D. Earth's Commander.

* * *

"We're approaching Earth," Z called out from the pilot's seat of the small shuttle, speeding towards the giant planet.

"Rangers, listen up," Cruger said, as he pressed the shuttle's onboard communications panel.

After a few more buttons were pressed he opened a communications channel to Command Central.

"S.P.D. Earth, this is Supreme Commander Cruger. Do you read me?"

"Yes, Supreme Commander," Niyako's familiar voice came through loud and clear.

"What's the situation?"

"Commander Manx has been located," Niyako revealed. "She and Dr. Jensen are attempting to help B-Squad against the invasion threat. However, they are still gravely outnumbered. I have been unable to contact the Officers."

"It's all right, Niyako," Cruger said. "They're with me."

"With _you_?" Ghiren's shocked voice came over the channel. "Can you ask them why they deactivated their morpher communication systems?"

"Not now, Ghiren," Cruger said. "Just send us the coordinates of the battle."

"Transmitting now, sir," Ghiren spoke.

"How is the auxiliary station?" Cruger wondered. "Is everything secure?"

"Yes, sir," Ghiren answered. "We have not been targeted. Prax's army seems intent on taking the city from the center. B-Squad's managed to keep them from their goal...for now."

"We've received the coordinates," Cruger acknowledged. "We're going to help them. You should expect Sam shortly. He's bringing an authorized guest."

"Understood sir," Niyako spoke, before ending the transmission.

A few seconds later, the doors to the cockpit slid open and Sam entered, with Sky and Bridge close behind him. Sam wasn't happy.

"I can't go there," Sam said, looking at Cruger. "I need Kat to fix my morpher so I can help."

"I can't make the repairs it needs," Bridge concurred. "Kat or Dr. Jensen are the only ones who could."

"Sam, it's too dangerous down there," Z said.

"I can take care of myself," Sam said, passionately. "Please!"

"I know you can, Sam," Cruger said. "But Kat is busy and I can't risk you or her getting hurt because you're distracted. We don't have the time. You'll have to sit this one out."

"That's not fair," Sam said.

"Trust me, Sam. I know it isn't," Cruger confessed. "But we can handle this. I need you to follow my orders."

Sam let out a disappointed sigh.

"Are we ready?" Cruger said, looking to Sky.

"As we'll ever be," Sky confirmed.

Cruger nodded, as he turned his eyes back to Z in the pilot's seat.

"Take us down."

* * *

In the darkness of the rear hall of the old factory, only the light footsteps of Barrett Van Tigue could be heard. Barrett was silent, as he paced back and forth in front of the large metal wall in front of him. He was growing impatient as he waited for his associate to arrive. Finally, he heard her heeled leather boots approaching.

"You took long enough," Barrett sneered.

"I had to make sure my prisoner was secure," Vishus said. "I don't want another one getting away."

"None of them are going to get away," Barrett said, with a slight smirk. "Once my equalizer is fully powered, Newtech City will have no choice but to bow before me."

Barrett pulled the remote from his pocket and pressed a button, which caused the large metal wall in front of them to ascend quickly, sliding upwards. As the two walked further inside, Barrett pressed another button, causing the lights to activate. As he looked upon the large metal creation in front of him, he smiled even brighter.

The red and gold robot was massive. From its sword and shield to its sharp appendages, the robot was a fearsome creature. It was a soldier for success, Barrett thought to himself. Designed to be the perfect warrior, it's red helmet and color symbolized the fire within Barrett's soul. His blueprints resembled an ancient knight. He had pictured himself parading through Newtech City in victory inside the giant robot, as if it were his chariot leading him to his kingdom. But, times had changed. It was now going to be his greatest weapon.

His eyes focused on the large silver jewel embedded in the robot's chest and the two matching jewels that were attached to the robot's shoulders. They weren't yet glowing with power and that was why he needed Lady Vishus.

"Okay," she said, at his side. "Let's get this over with. I have a prisoner to torture."

Van Tigue led her to a freestanding control station in the right corner of the room. After he pressed a few buttons, a blue cord with a black tip extended from the console. Vishus grabbed it with her left hand, as Barrett rolled up the right sleeve of her black jumpsuit, where a small port was located.

The female cyborg practically jabbed the connecting device into her arm, as Barrett pressed a few buttons, beginning the uplink between Vishus and the robot. As Barrett looked back up at his creation, he saw the jewel on the robot's left shoulder beginning to light up.

"Excellent," Barrett said, with a smile.

* * *

It was 7 p.m. in Newtech City and the sun was quickly setting on the battle underway in the streets. As Pryce Jensen fired his laser pistol at one of the Delta X robots firing on the patrol jeep, he was met with a barrage of return fire, causing him to take cover behind the vehicle.

At his side, he saw Kat's leg flying into the air, connecting with the chest of Rubexa. The Lynx native's feline fighting tactics, however, did little damage to the much-bigger alien criminal, who struck back with a fierce open-palmed strike to Kat's chest, sending her crashing to the ground next to Pryce.

"So, is this part of your brilliant plan to stop them?" Pryce said, sarcastically.

Kat gathered herself, as she fired back on Rubexa, still holding her chest from the alien's attack.

"We have to get to Sophie," Kat said, as she peeked around on Pryce's side, joining him in firing on the robots. "She's the only way to even the odds."

"I still don't see how that can help, given what Dr. Jiang told us," he surmised. "She's not going to listen."

"I wasn't planning on talking to her," Kat said, as she jumped back to her feet and tried to lunge at Rubexa.

The monster, however, grabbed both of Kat's arms, restraining her and causing her to drop her pistol. Kat let out a cry of pain from the monster's grip. This drew Pryce's attention, but he was still under attack by several firing robots and couldn't leave his position.

"Kat!" he yelled, in fear for her safety.

At that moment, a fierce explosion landed at Rubexa's back, causing her to release Kat, as she flew to the ground in a barrage of smoke and damaging sparks. Kat also hit the ground nearby. As she looked up at the source of the blast, she couldn't help but smile.

In the distance, the clearing smoke revealed the arrival of Newtech City's finest heroes. The Red Ranger came into view first, holding his twin Delta blasters, which he had combined into one powerful weapon. It was he who had fired on Rubexa. At his left side, Shadow Ranger appeared. Flanking them were the Green, Blue & Yellow Rangers. They stood tall, side by side.

As the group's presence became apparent to the monster army, Shadow Ranger turned around behind them, where Sam stood with Cash several feet away.

"Go, now," Cruger ordered.

Sam looked furious, as he nodded, grabbing a hold of Cash's arm, teleporting both of them away from the battlefield. Cruger watched that spot until he was convinced they were gone.

"Keep telling yourself you did the right thing," Z said, at Cruger's side.

"I will," Cruger said, as he turned back around to face the fight ahead.

"Sophie!" Bridge shouted, as he spotted the Pink Ranger in the melee, fighting with B-Squad's Green Ranger. "What is she doing?"

The Blue Ranger tried to run, but the Red Ranger grabbed him by the shoulders, stopping him.

"Wait!" Sky yelled.

"Something's wrong with her," Quinn chimed in, as he was standing nearby.

"We have to help her!" Bridge yelled.

"We can't like this," Sky said. "This looks more dangerous than I thought. Let's go S.W.A.T.. Ready?"

With one swift motion all five Rangers had their morphers reaching for the sky.

"Ready," they yelled together, "S.P.D., S.W.A.T. mode!"

They were instantly outfitted in their S.W.A.T. gear, now holding their Delta Enforcers. Four of them rushed into the fray of battle. One of them, however, had stopped. Z had caught sight of something in an alleyway that led to an adjacent street. It was only a quick flash since the figure was running at a high speed, but her blond hair flapping in the wind was unmistakable.

"Syd?" Z called out.

As she started to make her way in that direction, two Delta X robots fired on her. The Yellow Ranger flipped out of their line of fire and went back to work, as they blocked the alleyway in front of her.

* * *

A few blocks down that adjacent street, Barrett Van Tigue and Lady Vishus were walking back towards the main area of the factory, where a bound and gagged Piggy was waiting. Both of them were smiling.

"The robot is fully charged," Barrett said, proudly. "In a few minutes, its systems will be fully operable and then Newtech City will fall at my feet."

"I can't wait," Vishus said, before giving him a contradictory look. "Actually, I _can_ wait! It gives me time to finally kill Piggy!"

As they approached, Piggy appeared to be struggling in his restraints, trying to speak through the gag in his mouth.

"Begging for mercy?" Vishus said, as she pulled him off of the floor. "Too bad!"

Vishus wrapped her cybernetic hands around the alien's throat and began to squeeze, causing Piggy to squeal. His muffled screams caused her smile to widen.

"I just came to say goodbye, Piggy," Barrett said, as he waved at him from several feet away. "It was nice knowing you, but it'll be even nicer _not_ knowing you!"

"Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about you!"

The sound of Syren Dean's voice instantly caught their attention. Barrett and Vishus both turned to see the young blonde. When Barrett turned, he expected to see more than just her. He smiled as he saw she was standing before them, just as she had been twenty minutes before, all alone. In her baby blue tank top, long-sleeved white hoodie and blue jeans, Syren Dean hadn't changed one bit.

"Syren, you're back," Barrett said. "I missed you."

"Well, rest assured, we're not done yet," Syd said, staring a hole through Barrett.

"Neither are we!" Vishus sneered as she tossed Piggy into a wall, knocking him to the floor.

Vishus walked closer to Syren, matching her look of fury.

"Well...I think I'll let you two ladies sort this out," Barrett said, with a smile. "I've got an important meeting to get to."

Barrett trotted off towards the rear of the factory. As Syd tried to follow, Vishus cut off her path.

"What's wrong? Afraid you'll lose...again?" Vishus asked, with a wink.

"You attacked me from behind last time. You won't get the chance to make that mistake again," Syd said, as she raised the sleeve of her white sweater, revealing the Nova morpher on her wrist. "I came ready to play."

Vishus' eyes grew wide as she saw the device.

"S.P.D. Emergency!" Syd shouted, as she twisted the morpher's throttle, instantly morphing.

Vishus instinctively took three steps back away from the newly morphed Ranger. She stood watching in shock at the figure that now appeared before her. She was like no Ranger Vishus had seen before. Most of the suit was a shiny silver, except for the blue and gold short vest, matching blue boots and gloves, and the helmet on her head. Her badge, belt and S.P.D. insignia all matched the golden morpher strapped to her right wrist.

"S.P.D. Nova Ranger!" Syd shouted from behind the helmet. "You're going down."

The blinking sirens on both sides of the Ranger's helmet lit up brightly.

"The only question is," Syd said, slyly. "Are you going to come quietly, or are you going to help me test out these powers?"

"Oh, you know me," Vishus said, sneering. "Always willing to help a fellow woman!"

Vishus let out a loud scream, as she took flight, attempting a flying kick on Syd. With her heightened senses, however, the Nova Ranger was ready. She took two quick steps to the side, causing Vishus' kick to fly right past her. The cyborg regained her footing quickly, but before she could turn to attack again, Syd was already there, with a pair of swift punches that connected with Vishus' face. Nova Ranger followed up with a punch to the stomach, which sent Vishus tumbling to the ground several feet away.

Syd pulled the throttle on her morpher and twisted it again.

"Thunder mode!" she yelled, as her gloved hand began to glow with energy.

Vishus let out another battle cry as she got to her feet and raced towards Syd. Nova Ranger extended her palm towards Vishus, causing a wave of blue lightning to shoot out, striking Vishus before she could reach her. The cyborg's body went flying into the air, contorting in ways that Syd had never seen. She lit up in sparks as she fell to the ground once again.

"I'm starting to like this," Syd said, victoriously.

She walked closer to Vishus, standing above the cyborg that was holding her chest.

"You're out of time, Vishus," Syd said, seriously.

"So is Newtech City," she grumbled from the ground. "Barrett...he'll destroy them all."

"How?" Syd questioned. "What's he planning to do?"

"I'll never tell," Vishus said, angrily, as she struggled to her feet. "And, unless you intend to destroy me, I won't be letting you find out."

"We'll see about that," Syd said.

* * *

Decked out in S.W.A.T. mode, Shadow Ranger swiftly cut through one of the Delta X robots, disconnecting its head from its body with a swipe of his Shadow Saber. In one fluid motion he slid the sword into its S.W.A.T. blaster mode, firing the weapon on another Delta X robot, sending it flying through the air and crashing to the ground. This one, however, was still in one piece and still moving. He narrowed his eyes on him and pounced again.

Several feet away, Z Delgado used her Delta Enforcer to swipe away the firing arm of one robot, as she kicked it in the chest, sending it flying. Another came at her from behind, but she ducked its attack and fired her Delta Enforcer, sending the metal soldier flying backwards in a barrage of sparks.

Near the S.P.D. patrol jeep, Pryce Jensen found himself firing again at a few of the robots. Just then, Rubexa popped her head around the jeep, laughing loudly. Pryce struggled to refocus his weapon on her, just as she was blown away from him by a golden stream of lasers. Pryce turned to see the Blue Ranger had fired on the alien.

With his Delta Enforcer still drawn, Bridge helped Kat to her feet and rushed her over to the jeep next to Pryce, taking cover from the intense fighting happening all around them.

"Are you okay?" Bridge asked them.

"We'll be fine," Kat spoke up before Jensen could. "You have to get back out there."

"What's wrong with Sophie?" Bridge wondered, intently.

"Dr. Jiang's working with Van Tigue," Kat explained, still panting from Rubexa's earlier attack. "He reprogrammed Sophie. She's the one controlling X-Squad."

"Oh no," Bridge said, sadly. "We have to do something."

"We can't get to her," Kat said. "But you can."

"What?" Bridge appeared confused.

Kat grabbed a hold of his arms.

"Bridge, listen to me. The only way to stop the robots is to break their connection to Sophie," Kat revealed to him.

"Okay," Bridge said, taking a deep breath. "How do I do that?"

Pryce sighed at Kat's side. He fired his weapon at another approaching robot as he turned to Bridge.

"The only way to do it is to wipe Sophie's mainframe," Pryce said, still having trouble believing it himself.

"We can't—" Bridge said, giving Kat a worried look that she couldn't see through his helmet.

In this case, though, Kat knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Bridge, there's no other choice," she said. "You have to stop Sophie. The robots are practically indestructible and the monsters are still fighting back."

"I—I can't," Bridge said, thinking back to his failure to rescue Sky on Fenix Prime.

"You have to," Kat said, as she narrowed her gaze on him and mustered every once of strength she had to raise her voice. "That's an order, Officer!"

Bridge's gaze fell to the ground.

A few yards away, the Red Ranger was fighting hand-to-hand with Prax. The two matched blow for blow, and kick for kick until Prax swatted away one of Sky's attacks and pulled him close.

"I thought you were in prison," Prax sneered.

"I escaped," Sky said, defiantly.

"Naughty boy," Prax said, as he pushed Sky away and went for a kick to his head, which the Red Ranger blocked.

Sky spun himself around, scoring a spinning kick of his own on the monster. Prax fell to the ground.

"I thought you'd admire it actually, given the company you keep!" Sky said, as he pulled his Delta Enforcer on the monster, pointing it down on him.

"Need some help?" the Yellow Ranger called out as she joined Sky at his side.

"I'm good."

"Well...I need to go check something out. Can you spare me?" Z asked.

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure, but I need to go. It might have something to do with Syd," Z revealed, catching Sky off-guard.

Z knew Sky must have been concerned.

"Go," he said, resisting every urge to go with her. "We can handle these creeps until you get back."

The Yellow Ranger nodded, as she went sprinting down an adjacent alleyway.

On the other side of the street, Blaze was bearing down on B-Squad's Duc Sato once again. All of his artificial skin had been burned away thanks to B-Squad's Yellow Ranger. Blaze now wanted revenge. In that moment, their motivations matched. But, despite the looks of the two, Duc was the one in more pain. He clutched his chest with one hand and his blaster with the other. He fired on Blaze, but the cyborg took to the air, jumping over the laser strike. He came down with a fierce kick, which caught Duc in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground. His blaster rifle went sliding into the road, out of his grasp.

"It's time to end this vendetta," Blaze shouted furiously, as his glowing cybernetic eyes burned.

Just then a powerful laser blast hit the cyborg's chest, sending him flying off his feet through the air. As Duc watched his flight and fall to the ground nearby, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see the Green Ranger in his S.W.A.T. gear.

"Quinn, it's been too long," Duc said, sarcastically.

"I wouldn't leave you hanging buddy," Quinn said. "Can you take it from here?"

"With our help he can," Meg Thurman's voice was heard approaching.

The other three members of B-Squad joined Duc at his side. Boom handed the Yellow Ranger his rifle back.

"Then go to it, B-Squad," Quinn said, smiling beneath his helmet as he rushed back off into the battle.

"Ready to end this?" Casey asked Duc.

"I've been ready for years," Duc said, as he turned back to Blaze, who was struggling to his feet.

The other B-Squad Rangers joined him. With all blasters focused on Blaze, the cyborg saw the impending danger in front of him.

"You can't contain me!" Blaze said. "I'm not an alien!"

"Well, you're definitely not human!" Boom shouted.

"Let's see what the morpher has to say about it," Meg said, as she pointed hers at Blaze and activated judgment mode. "Blaze, you're accused of attacking S.P.D. personnel and conducting terrorist attacks on both Earth and Fernovia."

Blaze looked stunned when he realized that they weren't trying to charge him for killing Mr. and Mrs. Sato.

"...and murder," Duc said, underneath his breath.

As the red "x" imprinted on the cyborg's face, he realized his fate.

"Guilty!" the four B-Squad Rangers yelled, as they trained their weapons on him together.

They stood in their square formation and all fired at exactly the same time. As their laser blasts connected, they became more powerful. They struck Blaze as a singular laser attack, igniting him instantly in flames. As the smoke cleared, there was nothing left but a containment card. B-Squad's Yellow Ranger walked over and retrieved it.

"_Joubutsu_," Duc spoke quietly in his native language, as he held the card tight in his hand and looked to the sky.

Casey sighed, as she walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. B-Squad's Green Ranger knew Japanese and knew that Duc was sending a quiet wish that his parents would now rest in peace.

* * *

S.P.D.'s auxiliary station on Earth looked deserted, despite the flashing sirens on the four corners of its roof. There was indeed an emergency underway. As Sam materialized in the street a few yards away from the station, his thoughts were back in that battle. At his side, Cash Donovan looked around, curiously.

"Man, kid, that's some power you got there," he said. "Is this the place?"

He pointed to the station.

"Yeah," Sam said quietly. "Ghiren should be right inside waiting for you."

Cash began walking towards the entrance when he realized Sam wasn't at his side. He turned to see Sam looking in the opposite direction.

"Aren't you coming?" Cash asked.

"I can't," Sam said, shaking his head. "I have to go back."

"Why?" Cash asked.

"Because...it's my destiny," Sam said, as he turned to Cash.

Cash nodded, realizing it wasn't his place to interfere. He watched as the teenager teleported away, just as quickly as they had arrived.

"Good luck," Cash called out before heading inside.

* * *

Back on the battlefield, B-Squad found themselves with little time to rest, as the Delta X robots continued to swarm them, firing on them whenever possible. Their superior Officers also had their hands full.

Shadow Ranger slashed at the monster Relliott, but he used his super speed to avoid the Shadow Saber attack. He swiped at Cruger's back, sending him staggering forward, where the menacing form of Rubexa was waiting. She swiped at Cruger's chest sending him flying backwards, as his chest lit up in sparks.

Sky continued to hold Prax at bay with his Delta Enforcer, begging him to move.

"It's all over," Sky said.

"You have no idea how wrong you are," Prax said, as he got to his feet. "You don't know what you've walked into, Red Ranger!"

"I know enough," Sky said.

Prax laughed loudly, as he lunged at Sky. The Red Ranger fired his Delta Enforcer at Prax, but was shocked when the blast did little damage. The laser beams seemed to deflect off Prax's silver armor. Within seconds, the green insectoid was upon him, swiping at Sky's chest with his claws, causing Sky to stagger backwards. Prax followed up with a kick to the Red Ranger's head, sending him to the ground.

"Now, who's in trouble?" Prax said, as he stood above Sky.

Several meters away, Quinn managed to dodge several bomb attacks, as they shot out of Huragi's shoulder-mounted cannon. The Green Ranger took to the air, firing on the alien criminal with his Delta Enforcer. Huragi dove out of the way of the assault, firing his cannon once again. This time, the small bomb hit Quinn, sending him crashing to the ground.

As two more Delta X robots descended upon the patrol jeep, Kat & Pryce continued to fire, while keeping cover behind the vehicle.

"You know, this isn't what I expected when I requested to join S.P.D. Earth," Pryce grunted, as he dodged a laser blast that broke the jeep's taillight near his face.

"You mean they didn't warn you to expect the unexpected?" Kat said, as she fired a few more laser blasts of her own.

"I must have missed that memo," Pryce said.

At that moment, Sam Hastings materialized in front of them. He ducked the fire of the Delta X robots, kneeling next to Kat, who now looked shocked.

"Sam! What are you doing here?"

"I came to help," he said quickly.

Pryce leaned over closer to Kat's ear.

"You said to expect the unexpected," he said, sarcastically.

Sam handed her the Omega morpher.

"It's not working. Bridge said it's because it needs Jack's blood to power it," Sam explained. "Can you fix it?"

"Probably," Kat said, angrily as she began examining the morpher, amidst several laser blasts landing around them. "But, you should really be back at the station where it's safe."

"You're starting to sound like Supreme Commander Cruger," Sam said.

"Be careful, kid," Pryce said. "She'll take that as a compliment."

"Pryce, shut up...and give me your pistol," Kat said. "I need to hook the Omega morpher into another power source. It'll just take a few tweaks."

"Why do you need _my_ pistol?" Pryce said, looking stunned. "We're under attack!"

As if he needed proof, another barrage of lasers hit the jeep at that moment.

"Pryce, give it to me! You should have made these modifications a long time ago," Kat said.

"You can't be saying this is my fault," Pryce said, looking shocked.

"This isn't the time for arguing," Kat said.

"You're tellin' me," Sam said, looking annoyed at their bickering.

"Look, just trust me," Kat said to Jensen.

"You're gonna owe me big time," Pryce said.

"Fine," Kat said, as she extended her hand.

Pryce let out a frustrated grunt as he handed her his pistol.

"Thanks," Sam said to him.

"I hope you're ready for this," Kat said to him, as she went back to work on the morpher.

Several feet away, the Blue Ranger blasted his way through four Delta X robots, with his eyes focused on his target. Although, honestly, Bridge Carson could never think of Sophie that way.

Once he was past the robots, he saw her aiming at B-Squad in the distance.

"Sophie, stop!" Bridge called out, drawing her attention.

He watched her weapon lower for a moment, before she turned it on him and fired. The blast from her Deltamax Striker struck him quickly. Since he was in a dead run, the force of the blast sent him flipping backward into the air and falling to the ground. Before he could get completely to his feet, she was on top of him, kicking his Delta Enforcer out of his hands.

She aimed her Deltamax Striker at his chest, as he got to his feet. He could see her finger on the trigger.

"Sophie, please," Bridge said, somberly. "It's me, Bridge. You can't do this. This isn't you. Please, just listen to me."

"This...is me," Sophie said, her voice vacant, devoid of the life he knew she carried within.

"No," Bridge said. "Our Sophie would never help these criminals."

"_Your_ Sophie?" the Pink Ranger spoke, as her head tilted slightly, almost in curiosity.

"Yes!" Bridge said, as he walked a bit closer, only to feel the point of the Deltamax Striker poking against his S.W.A.T. vest. "Sophie, I know Dr. Jiang did something to you—your programming, but you've grown beyond it. You didn't need him, remember? You don't need him to be yourself."

As Bridge cursed his genetic power for not being able to read her mind, he reached out his hand, staring into the visor of her tilted helmet. As his hand raised, Sophie brought her head up to look straight at him.

Then she fired.

The blast from such close range sent Bridge flying backwards, several inches off the ground. The sparks coming from his chest left a trail, as he collided with the wall of a building.

* * *

Inside the factory, Lady Vishus stood her ground against Nova Ranger. She punched Syd across the helmet twice, with each fist, but her attack had little effect on the Ranger. When she attempted another round, Syd grabbed both of her wrists, twisting them away from her. This caused Vishus entire body to twist. Her back was now to Syd, while her arms were forcibly crossed over her neck.

With one swift motion, Syd yanked on Vishus arms, sending her into the air and flying over her head. Her body crashed to the ground behind the Nova Ranger. Vishus landed with a huge thud, as her chest collided with the floor. Syd took her fighting stance, as she saw Vishus was still not down for the count.

"Don't you ever just give up?"

"To you...never!" Vishus sneered, as she grabbed at her chest. "Besides, you'll never stop Barrett before he unleashes his robot on the city."

"Robot?" Syd said, curiously.

Vishus chuckled.

"This city won't know what hit it. Then again, neither will you!" Vishus said, as she took off, running towards Syd for another attack.

Before she could reach the Nova Ranger, her entire body was struck by a powerful laser blast, which had come from behind Syd. The Nova Ranger turned to see a familiar face standing at the entrance to the warehouse.

"I thought you could use some backup," the Yellow Ranger said. "Nice suit. I thought it might come in handy."

Beneath her helmet, Syd smiled. Syd gave a quick glance to see Vishus was still down. She turned back to Z and pointed towards Piggy's fallen, bound body.

"Piggy's hurt," she told Z. "I have to go after Barrett. He's got some kind of robot that he's going to release."

"Go," Z said. "I'll finish things here."

Syd nodded, before running off towards the rear of the warehouse.

In the darkness of the factory's rear hall, Barrett stood at the control station on the ground. He adjusted the headset he wore, before pressing a few of the controls. A small graphic on the station showed him that the robot was indeed fully charged and all systems were online.

"Perfect," Barrett said aloud. "It's time for Newtech City to see my true power."

His left hand drifted to a control panel on the far side of the station. He pressed a few commands, causing a large retracting door to begin sliding. Barrett glanced between the robot's legs to make sure the door was moving. As the setting sunlight began to creep into the warehouse, he smiled. Before this day was done, he knew he would have the entire city under his thumb.

But as the door opened completely, the sunlight began to form around a figure that was standing in the doorway on the inside of the warehouse. Barrett squinted until he was finally able to make out who had entered without him noticing.

"Not you again," Barrett said.

"I can't let you do this," Syd said, beneath the Nova Ranger helmet.

"You can't stop me," Barrett said.

Barrett ran back to the control station to activate the robot, just as the Nova Ranger took to the sky, flipping all the way to the top of the robot, landing on its shoulder. She looked down on Barrett from there.

"I'm taking you in," she said.

"I'm not an alien criminal," Barrett said. "We both know S.P.D. can't contain me."

"Special circumstances, Barrett," Syd said, darkly. "Why do you think I came to Purgatory in the first place? To get what we needed to bring you in. Your dealings with Prax, the fact that you hired the terrorists that attacked Fernovia...it's enough to book you a spot in the next containment card."

Barrett stared at the control station for several moments, as he heard her speak. Then he looked up at her.

"I don't think so," he sneered, as he pressed a button on the control station.

His robot sprung to life, catching Syd off-guard. With a few quick movements, the robot shook the Nova Ranger off of its shoulder, sending her falling to the ground below. Syd took a moment to gather herself from the fall, just as she saw Barrett running past her, headed for the robot.

She made it to her feet and grabbed her morpher's throttle. Her right glove once again turned bright blue, as energy built up in it. She twisted both arms together, pulling them back to build up pressure from the energy, as the energy formed a glowing blue ball.

"Nova strike!" she yelled, as she pushed her arms forward, sending the energy blast out towards Barrett's feet.

The blast sent the running man flying forward into the air and falling to the ground.

"You can't beat me, Barrett," Syd said, as she began walking slowly towards him. "Not like this."

He turned over in pain, as she walked up to him.

"I don't have to beat you like this," Barrett said, as he sent a judo kick to her stomach, causing her to stagger backwards momentarily. "I'll beat you from up there."

He pressed a button on his headset, which caused a grappling cord to fly out of the robot and grab hold of him, pulling him quickly inside. Before Syd could do anything, the robot was moving. With each step, it caused the ground around her to quake a bit. As it marched out of the warehouse, the Nova Ranger followed.

In the cockpit of the mighty robot, Barrett could see on his scanners that she was following him. He turned the robot around and glared down at her and the warehouse. With a swift command, the robot's golden eyes fired two beams of fire towards the Nova Ranger. The first hit the warehouse, causing the structure to catch fire. The second would have hit Syd, if she hadn't seen it coming.

She twisted her morpher's throttle quickly and extended her arm, creating a strong forcefield that deflected the fire blasts, sending them away from her. Unfortunately, this caused a nearby-parked car and a small building to catch fire instead. This stopped the Nova Ranger in her tracks. When Barrett saw her worrying about the flames, he turned his robot and refocused on the city.

* * *

It was tradition in the Drew household to sit down together and take in the news. While her daughter was never a fan, Shannon Drew often forced a young Sydney to watch, feeling that she needed to have some knowledge beyond herself in this world. These days Shannon had no problem seeing her news program of choice. Her husband was still at work and Syd had moved out.

Her current houseguest, the young Anna Storm, had fallen into the routine with pleasure. The two found themselves treated to a live news report on the Global News Network. Footage was being shown of the Galactic Council President Ottomus Cali being practically dragged from the Galactic Council Center on Andruss III.

"This is shameful behavior!" Cali yelled to the press as he was led towards an S.P.D. patrol car. "I do not deserve to be treated this way!"

Shannon shook her head, still stunned by the treason that had been explained to viewers by Global News Network anchor Cassidy Cornell, whose face now replaced the live footage.

"Truly shocking," Cassidy said. "It is unclear what will become of the Galactic Council in the wake of this controversy, but we can assure you that we here at Global News Network will keep you informed."

Just then, Cassidy put a hand to her ear, as if she was hearing words from off-stage. Her classic news reporter look was replaced by one of fear, as she looked back up at the camera.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we're receiving a breaking news report from Earth," Cassidy revealed. "It appears that a group of alien criminals is attacking Newtech City. The city has long been a haven for criminal activity and it appears that one battle may be growing out of control. Space Patrol Delta has responded."

Concern grew on Shannon's face as she thought of her daughter. She looked over at Anna, who seemed glued to the news report as well.

"We're getting word that the attack on Earth may be directly related to the Galactic Council President's resignation, but those reports have not been confirmed as of yet," Cassidy explained. "Our news satellites are picking up a direct feed of the attack in progress and we will be switching over to the live feed in a moment. We warn you that the footage you're about to see may be disturbing."

Shannon looked over at Anna, wondering if she should turn off the news report. The live feed filled the screen and Shannon was still looking at Anna when she saw the twelve year-old's eyes light up. Shannon looked back at the screen where they both saw an unfamiliar Power Ranger in a silver suit, putting out several small fires using her morpher powers. They both noticed she was clearly female.

As the feed played out, Cassidy's voice could be heard in the background.

"This is truly amazing," Cassidy commented. "It appears that the Nova Ranger has returned. Last seen aiding S.P.D. Earth in their final battle with Gruumm, this Ranger from the future is single-handedly putting out those fires."

"Nova Ranger," Anna said quietly, as she stood up and walked closer to the television.

Shannon watched the girl.

"Anna, what is it?"

"Nova...it's a nickname the kids at the group home gave me," Anna said, still mesmerized by Nova Ranger's movements.

Shannon's own mind began to race as she thought of the anchorwoman's words about Nova being from the future.

* * *

With the flames around her now put out, Syd turned her attention back to Van Tigue's robot, which was stomping its way towards the center of Newtech City. She looked back at the warehouse, which was still on fire. She had to make a decision.

Syd ran after the robot.

As she got closer to the ground battle happening on the streets, she saw the other Rangers in the heat of battle. Through the crowd, she saw him. The Red Ranger was fighting fiercely with Prax. Her eyes veered away from him and rested on another object in the distance. It was the Blast Buggy she had seen on the monitor in Pryce's office. She looked back up at Van Tigue's robot as it crushed a van.

The Nova Ranger took off at a high speed, running towards the Blast Buggy. She pulled her morpher close to her mouth and activated its communications system.

"Dr. Jensen, this is Sydney Drew. If you can hear me, please respond!"

As Kat fired her laser pistol from behind the patrol jeep, Pryce had taken cover behind her when he heard the call come through on Kat's communicator. He grabbed it from her back pocket and answered.

"This is Dr. Jensen," Pryce said.

Kat turned her attention to the call.

"Doctor, Barrett Van Tigue has a robot and its heading towards the center of town. I need to stop it," Syd said, as she reached the Blast Buggy. "I'm at the Blast Buggy. I saw plans on your computer that showed this thing transform. Can it stop the robot?"

Pryce peeked his head around the jeep and saw the size of Van Tigue's robot stomping down the far street.

"No," Pryce said. "Not on its own. But, those plans you saw, they were for a zord combination. The Blast Buggy would need to link up with the Delta Megazord."

"That means you'll need B-Squad," Kat chimed in. "I'll call them. Syd...good luck."

"Thanks," Syd said, as she hopped inside the Blast Buggy, strapping herself into the cockpit.

The Blast Buggy was speeding away within seconds, as she chased after Van Tigue's robot. Syd accessed the vehicle's full power, which caused it to roll even faster, speeding between the legs of the robot. Once she was several feet in front of the massive robot, she spun the Blast Buggy around to face it. She activated the flight mode, sending the vehicle into the air.

In the cockpit of the robot, Van Tigue looked surprised at the vehicle heading towards him. The Blast Buggy's mounted blaster fired, hitting its target in several places as it flew over the head of Van Tigue's robot.

Inside the cockpit, Barrett was rocked back and force. His control panel began to smoke a bit from the damage. The Blast Buggy landed on the ground behind him.

"You're going to pay for that," he said, as he regained control of the robot, sending its foot down towards the Blast Buggy.

Before it could connect with the vehicle, the robot was hit with fire more intense laser strikes, seemingly coming from five different directions.

"What?!?" Barrett shouted, as he turned the robot quickly to see the blasts had come from the five approaching Delta Runners.

* * *

Back on the ground, the Red and Green Rangers fought near one another, as they had their hands full with Prax and Huragi, respectively. Sky found that his Delta Enforcer blasts seemed to have no effect on the alien with his armor activated. This forced him to fight hand-to-hand. Quinn was doing the same, as he had little time to get a good shot off on Huragi before the escaped criminal would fire one of his bombs at him.

Several feet away, Shadow Ranger also had his share of action. Rubexa and Relliott had joined forces, both attacking him at the same time. Just as he fended off an attack from Relliott, slashing him with his Shadow Saber, Rubexa was right there, firing her highly-charged blaster at him. Cruger lit up in sparks from the blast, as he fell to the ground, hearing Rubexa cackling happily, as she came closer.

He looked up at the alien criminal, just as a booted-kick came up, stopping her laugh as she was nailed in the head. Cruger's eyes grew a bit wider as he saw the boot belonged to the Omega Ranger. He got to his feet in time to see Sam charge his morpher's throttle.

"Hyper mode!" Sam yelled, as his palm glowed yellow.

The speeding punches from his strike hit Rubexa so quickly that she had no defense. Soon, her entire body was smoking from the energy strikes, sending her flying into the air and crashing to the ground.

Shadow Ranger walked up behind Sam, grabbing him on the shoulder.

"I thought I told you to stay behind," Cruger said sternly.

"You want me to help her get back up?" Sam said, a bit cocky.

"That won't be necessary," Cruger conceded, just as both of them were hit with lightning-fast energy strikes, sending them both falling to the ground.

"That must be Relliott," Sam said, grunting beneath his helmet.

Sam remembered the monster that had tried to abduct him. He & Cruger got to their feet, just as the monster's stopped right in front of them. He kicked Shadow Ranger in the head, causing him to stagger away. He went for the same tactic on Omega, but Sam saw it coming, blocking his leg away. The monster went for a punch, but Sam caught his fist in the palm of his hand. This began a struggle for control between the two, until Shadow Ranger appeared back at Sam's side, with his Shadow Saber in hand. He slashed at Relliott's unprotected chest, sending the monster falling back to the ground.

"Thanks," Sam said.

"I owed you one," Cruger retorted, just as both were struck again from behind.

From the ground, they could see that several of the Delta X robots had now targeted them to aide the two monsters.

"There's still too many," Cruger grunted.

As if on cure, sirens could be heard descending towards Earth. The two Rangers looked up to see three shuttles landing nearby. Within seconds, their hatches were open. The trio of S.P.D. Rangers from Triforia stormed out of the first vehicle, with their weapons drawn. They ran into the fray of Delta X robots, slashing each one they passed with their blasters. Representative Trecineas exited right behind them, with his own laser pistol drawn, firing on the robots.

The second shuttle carried four of Fernovia's best. The four familiar Rangers stormed out into the battle as well, heading towards the Green and Red Rangers. Behind them, their representative, Urgundii stood just inside the hatch of his shuttle, armed and watching.

The third shuttle deposited five S.P.D. Rangers who were normally stationed on Aquitar. That group set their sights on the robots as well and began firing their large blaster rifles on them. Representative Pheon exited the shuttle after them. Armed with his own blaster, he ran over to Sam and Cruger, who had gotten to their feet.

"Sorry we're late," Pheon said. "It took a while to round them all up."

A few stray blasts from the Delta X robots fell near their feet, causing all three to flip away.

"Welcome to Earth," Cruger said, sarcastically.

Pheon nodded, almost smiling, as all three of them fired off attacks. Nearby, Rubexa had gotten to her feet and had the trio in her sights. She chuckled once again, as she aimed her blaster on the three males, whose backs were now turned to her.

"Perfect," she said.

"Hold it!" Geltran, Triforia's Red Ranger, shouted.

Rubexa turned to see all three of the Triforian Officers with their weapons trained on her. Their blasters were similar to Earth's Deltamax Strikers, but thicker. Each had three barrels, instead of one.

"Let's do this!" Zex, the Triforian Yellow Ranger said, at his side.

Triforia's Blue Ranger, Trename, looked off for a second at his uncle, Trecineas watching in the distance. He nodded to him. With redemption in his grasp, he turned back to his team.

"Ready!"

With one swift motion, Zex flipped into the air, landing on the shoulders of her two male teammates.

"Trifold blast!" the trio shouted, as they brought their weapons together, sending a massive triangular energy strike towards Rubexa.

The alien criminal was enveloped in a powerful explosion. The finishing strike left nothing behind but smoke and a containment card, which Trecineas picked up, nodding back to his planet's protectors.

Several feet away, Bridge made his way out of the rubble that Sophie had left him in. He still couldn't believe that she could turn against him. He knew a lot about cybernetics, thanks to Sophie and his own cybernetic replacement. His cybernetic arm formed a fist, as he struggled with the emotion inside. In the distance, he could hear her footsteps approaching.

"Don't do this," Bridge said, his voice dark, full of fear.

"We are unstoppable," Sophie said, her voice still vacant, devoid of all the personality that he had come to admire in her.

With her Deltamax Striker in its blast mode, she fired on the Blue Ranger, as she ran towards him. The first few strikes hit him, but with his S.W.A.T. armor activated, it did little damage. Bridge flipped away, grabbing his Delta Enforcer from the ground. From one knee, he hopped into the air, flipping over the running Pink Ranger. He fired on her just as she turned back around to face him. She lit up in a barrage of energy blasts.

"Sophie!" Bridge yelled instinctively, without thinking.

The Pink Ranger fell to the ground and he ran over to her. As he looked down on her, he saw her helmet raise a bit from the ground. She appeared hurt.

"Bridge..." she said.

Bridge felt relieved. Her voice sounded almost normal. In fact, he thought she sounded a bit afraid, vulnerable.

"Sophie," he said, as he knelt beside her. "It's okay."

At that moment, her Deltamax Striker was pointed directly at him again.

"No. It is not," she said, as she fired, sending Bridge's body tumbling across the street, sparking with damage.

She had tricked him, he thought. Her cognitive systems were still active. He just didn't know how to return her to normal. As she got to her feet, he was still down. His morpher sounded. He grabbed it.

"Yeah."

"Bridge, you have to stop Sophie," Kat said, as Bridge heard laser blasts in the background. "You have your orders."

"But—Kat, I can't. I'm supposed to protect her," Bridge said, desperately trying to defy her expectations of him.

"You know what you have to do," Kat said. "You've come so far, Bridge. You have protected her. But now, it's the city that needs your protection. It's the only way to stop this. I can try to send Sky—"

"No!" Bridge said, quickly, resigning himself to his assignment.

He had been Sophie's leader. He would have to stop her. Without another word, he deactivated the call and fought his way to his feet, staring at the Pink Ranger standing almost a yard away from him. It was a standoff and at that moment Bridge took a deep breath, realizing there was only one way to protect Sophie now and that was to make sure that her actions didn't hurt anyone else, because that would hurt Sophie to her core.

* * *

Back inside the warehouse, Z found herself kneeling at Piggy's side, as she worked to untie his restraints.

"Piggy, can you hear me?" she called out.

She began to hear his groggy grunts.

"My head is pounding," he said, as his eyes fluttered open and he saw the Yellow Ranger looking down at him. "I must have a concussion. I'm clearly hallucinating."

"Shut up, Piggy," Z said. "I hope you can walk."

"I'll try," he said as he sat up. "Do you smell smoke?"

The Yellow Ranger looked up. She couldn't smell much from inside her helmet, but her S.W.A.T. scanners worked overtime as she glanced around the warehouse and indeed picked up the heat of fire in the back of the warehouse.

"We need to get you out of here," Z said, as she turned back to Piggy.

Piggy nodded, just as something else came into view behind Z. It was Vishus wielding a lead pipe.

"Look out!" he shouted.

But before Z could react, Vishus hit her from behind, striking her in the back with the pipe. The Yellow Ranger fell to the floor, as Vishus raised the pipe again.

"You all make me sick!" she yelled in fury.

Piggy made his way to his feet and tried to fight Vishus for the pipe, but she tossed him to the floor quickly. She laughed as she saw him fall.

"You idiot. You're no match for me," Vishus said, not seeing the Yellow Ranger get to her feet behind her.

"And you're no match for me," Z said, angrily.

Vishus turned quickly, only to be struck across the face by the Yellow Ranger's punch.

"But we already established that at the mansion," Z said, as she scored a kick, knocking Vishus backwards. "So, your days of threatening people are over!"

Vishus squealed in pain, as she tried to block Z's barrage of kicks and punches, with little effect. Vishus kept moving backwards until she finally saw a way out, as she glanced up and saw her sword stuck to a piece of wood, where Piggy had thrown it to cut Syren's ropes.

Vishus blocked Z's next punching attempt and planted her foot in the Yellow Ranger's side, pushing off towards the ceiling. She used the momentum to carry her up to the wood plank, which she grabbed a hold of with one hand.

Z quickly recovered and took to the air, grabbing a hold of the wood as well. With both of their weight hanging on it, it began to break. Vishus grabbed her sword and began swiping at the Yellow Ranger.

"You're gonna have to do better than that," Z said, as she sent a forceful kick to Vishus stomach.

This caused her to let go of the wood and began falling downward. As the Yellow Ranger watched her, Z heard the grinder below start up. She glanced over at the control lever and saw Piggy had activated it.

"Noooo!" Vishus yelled, as her body fell into the metal grinder, breaking instantly into a thousand pieces.

The machine began to spark and jam from the mix of hair, clothing and metal circuitry inside. Piggy deactivated it, as the Yellow Ranger dropped to the ground and walked over to his side.

"Was that considered murder, Officer?" Piggy asked her.

"I don't know," Z said. "But we'll keep it our little secret."

* * *

From inside the cockpit of the Blast Buggy, Syd got used to the controls of the vehicle. In fact, she was ready to stop Barrett Van Tigue for good. She activated the communications console and opened a channel to the Delta Runners.

"B-Squad, I hope you're ready to take this to the next level," she called out.

"Syd!?!" Boom yelled from inside Delta Runner 2. "Is that you?"

"The one and only," Syd answered.

"What's going on?" B-Squad's Pink Ranger, Meg Thurman wondered.

"I'll explain later," she said. "For now, we have to stop that robot. Dr. Jensen wants us to activate the new Delta Blast Megazord combo. Ready?"

"Ready!" the four members of B-Squad shouted together from their cockpits.

With Delta Runner 1 working on remote, the five zords combined to form the Delta Squad Megazord.

"Now it's my turn," Syd said, as she took the Blast Buggy to the air once again.

The Buggy began its transformation. But this time, it began to break apart on cue. As it passed Barrett's robot, a sharp blade slid out in front of the Blast Buggy, which maneuvered past the robot's sword and struck it near its neck.

Inside the cockpit, Barrett was rattled once again. As he helped the robot regain its footing, the Blast Buggy came apart, joining with the Delta Squad Megazord. The mounted blaster on top of the vehicle formed a blaster for the Megazord, while another part of the Buggy formed a protective shield over the chest. The rest of the Blast Buggy attached to Syd's old Delta Runner 5, the arm of the Megazord.

As all of the pieces came together, the Rangers inside of the cockpits shouted with confidence.

"Delta Blast Megazord!" they called out in unison.

They brought the Megazord up to Barrett's robot, trying to fire their new blaster, but Barrett used the robot's shield to block the blaster, keeping it from aiming. Barrett brought the robot's silver sword around, striking the Megazord in the chest. It staggered only a bit, as the new chest plating took the brunt of the damage. The Megazord fought back, bringing up the bladed Blast Buggy attachment on its left arm, striking the robot in the chest, causing it to spark a bit and fall backwards to the ground.

"Good shot," Casey called out from inside Delta Runner 3's cockpit.

The Delta Blast Megazord stood above Barrett's fallen robot. But their victory was short-lived, as Barrett focused the robot's eyes on the Megazord, sending two streams of fire towards the large Megazord. The Rangers' cockpits began to explode with fire damage, which sent the Megazord crashing backwards onto the ground, causing a bit of a shockwave to rattle the concrete underneath them.

"We have to get back up!" Duc called out from inside the cockpit of Delta Runner 4.

* * *

The force of the quaking ground did little to shake the newfound resolve of S.P.D.'s ground troops, as they began to overwhelm Prax's army, thanks to their reinforcements.

Quinn dodged another attack from Huragi's shoulder-mounted cannon, just as the alien was hit from behind by a barrage of attacks. As he fell, Quinn saw the quartet of Fernovian Rangers had struck him. He ran up to them.

"Good to see you guys," he said, happily.

"We heard you could use some help," Fernovia's Red Ranger, Frane spoke.

"After you helped us defend our homeworld, we had to come," Bretti, Fernovia's Yellow Ranger, chimed in. "...And someone wouldn't stop trying to talk us into it," she added, looking at the Pink Ranger.

Quinn smiled, as he glanced at Erial.

"No giving up," Erial said, thinking back to Quinn's time on Fernovia.

"That's right," Quinn said, as he looked around, noticing they were without their Blue Ranger. "I guess Melyk's transfer went through."

Erial nodded.

"We're still a team, though," Frane said, confidently. "As strong as ever!"

"It looks like we've got unfinished business," Fernovia's Green Ranger, Clestro spoke, as he pointed to Huragi, who was staggering to his feet.

"It's time to put an end to this guy, once and for all," Quinn said.

"May we do the honors?" Erial asked at his side.

"Be my guest," Quinn said, as he allowed them to step ahead of him.

"I'll destroy you all!" Huragi yelled, as he powered up his cannon and fired several of his miniature bombs at once.

As the Fernovian Rangers steadied themselves for their attack, Earth's Green Ranger took to the air and fired his Delta Enforcer at the small bombs, causing them to explode before they could reach the Fernovian Rangers. This caught Huragi off-guard.

As the Green Ranger was flying over his head in midair, the four Fernovian Rangers combined their weaponry, firing off one giant blast, which lit up Huragi's entire body. The resulting explosion was so big that Quinn barely made it over the fireball to land behind the flames. He turned to see Huragi's smoking body. He aimed his morpher and activated its containment mode. With the press of a button, Huragi was recaptured. Before he could pick up the card, Erial did.

"I think this belongs to you," she said.

Quinn liked hearing the cheerfulness in her voice.

"Thanks," he said, as he took the card.

Several yards away, Cruger and Sam had managed to corner Relliott. Cruger slashed at him with his Shadow Saber, sending him staggering backwards.

"Time to say goodbye," Sam said, as he charged up his Omega morpher. "Omega morpher light beam mode!"

Omega Ranger took to the air and brought his glowing yellow fist down, pounding it against Relliott's chest. The monster exploded, as his body was invaded by the light energy, sending him shrinking into containment.

A few feet away, a Delta X robot grabbed Pryce from behind. Kat turned to fire, but she didn't want to risk hitting Pryce. Just then, the robot was blasted from behind. Representative Pheon appeared, having fired the shot. He ran over to Kat.

"You're a sight for sore eyes," Kat said, as she hugged her old friend.

"You two know each other. Why am I not surprised?" Pryce said, as he got to his feet, disconnecting himself from the fallen robot.

He stomped his boot on the robot's power cell, but it was still moving.

"These things might actually be unstoppable," he said, as he looked off in the distance at the Aquitian Rangers, who were fighting several of them, including one robot whose head had been cut off. The robot was still fighting.

"Bridge has to stop Sophie," Kat said, sadly. "It's the only way."

Several yards away, the three Triforian Rangers had Prax on the ropes, with their coordinated attacks. He staggered backwards. After regaining his footing, he twirled his body quickly around, clawing all three of them at once. The three Triforian Rangers fell to the ground, as Prax cackled.

"You'll never take me!" he yelled.

"That's where you're wrong," Sky yelled from behind him. "Oh Murphy!"

"Huh?" Prax said, as his head tilted curiously.

At that moment, the barking robotic canine could be heard approaching behind Prax. The alien turned to see the robotic dog fly past his chest, kicking him. The monster staggered to his knees from Murphy's attack, just as the dog ran up to Sky, opening his mouth, revealing a red throttle morpher.

"You read my mind," Sky said, as he strapped it to his wrist. "Red Ranger Battlizer mode!"

Sky activated the morpher, which transformed Murphy instantly into his S.P.D. Battlizer Mark 2. Prax staggered to his feet, as Sky loaded a containment card into the cannon, then pulled it onto his shoulder, as he pulled his morpher on the criminal.

"You're charged with leading an attack on Newtech City and harboring known escaped criminals," Sky spoke.

The morpher's red flashing "X" appeared over Prax's body.

"No! Don't!" Prax yelled.

It was too late. Sky fired the Battlizer cannon, causing Prax's entire body to be hit with a huge explosion of energy. The force was so great that the resulting containment card came flying out of the blaze. Sky caught it just before it flew past him. He looked into the card and saw Prax fighting against his imprisonment.

"I've been waiting a long time to do that," Sky said.

Down the block, the Blue and Pink Rangers seemed to be pacing in a circle, their eyes never leaving the other in the distance.

"I can't let you continue on like this Sophie," Bridge called out.

"Then you should surrender," she responded. "Because, I'm not programmed to obey your commands."

"That's the difference between us," Bridge said, sadly. "I can't disobey my orders."

"Then you will die," Sophie shouted, as she drew her Deltamax Striker once again and sped towards Bridge.

"I'm sorry," Bridge said under his breath.

The Pink Ranger slashed at his chest twice, causing it to spark a bit. The third time, however, he kicked the Deltamax Striker away. Sophie came back fiercer than ever, going for another swipe at his helmet. Bridge ducked the attack, spinning behind her. With his Delta Enforcer drawn, he fired at her back. Knowing her control panel was located there, Bridge fired with precision. With his Delta Enforcer at full blast power, the energy blasts hit Sophie's back at point blank range, frying not only her access panel but also the Pink Ranger morpher that was holstered there.

Her entire body began to spark. Her suit fell away like shattering glass. She instantly demorphed, as Bridge watched. Her body stood, paused in place for a second, before she collapsed to the ground, face first. Bridge rushed over to see the blast had caused her morpher to be blown right into her control systems. The Blue Ranger fell to his knees, closing his eyes.

"Sophie," he said, his voice so low that no one could hear him.

* * *

Up above them all, the zord battle had come to a grinding halt, thanks to Van Tigue's fire attack on the Delta Blast Megazord. Barrett's robot stood above the hulking piece of machinery. Inside the cockpit, Barrett laughed.

"Not so tough now, are you Syren?" Barrett spoke out. "When are you going to learn that I always win. That's why I stack the deck!"

At that moment, the Megazord's Blast Buggy arm flew up, stabbing at the robot with its bladed tip. This caused the robot's chest to spark with damage and stagger back a bit. The surprisingly agile Megazord hopped to its feet, stabbing at the robot's arm, which caused its sword to fly from its hands. With a twisting motion, the bladed-arm sliced at the robot's other arm, causing it to drop its shield.

"Time to take this guy into custody," Meg Thurman yelled from her cockpit.

The Megazord's massive cuffs appeared in the Megazord's right hand. The cuffs were tossed at Van Tigue's staggering robot, trapping it on its feet.

"Okay, B-Squad, let's end this," Boom called out from his zord. "You ready Syd?"

"Always," she said, as she called on judgment mode. "Barrett Van Tigue, you're charged with conspiracy to terrorize Earth and Fernovia, obstruction of justice, the kidnapping of an S.P.D. officer and conspiracy to commit murder against an S.P.D. officer."

As she silently wished she could arrest him for his human crime of killing Mia, her thoughts instead veered to Anna and the justice she would still bring to her. The verdict was in on Van Tigue.

"Guilty!" B-Squad shouted.

The Delta Blast Megazord activated its containment mode. The Blast Buggy mounted on the Megazord's right arm detached and flew to the ground, forming a shield. With the Delta Blast Megazord kneeling behind it, the Rangers positioned the blaster rifle on top of the Buggy, to steady their aim.

"Syren...you can't do this!" Barrett yelled.

"Just for the record, the name is Sydney Drew, Officer Sydney Drew," Syd said from inside her cockpit. "Fire!"

The red energy built up inside of the blaster until it was at full power. Even as the energy blast discharged, Syd could still hear Barrett's continued screaming. But within a few seconds it was all over. Van Tigue's robot was destroyed and Van Tigue was contained.

* * *

As the Delta X robots all fell onto the ground down below, the S.P.D. forces found themselves glancing up at the Delta Blast Megazord as B-Squad came flying out of their cockpits, landing on the ground, just seconds before the Nova Ranger joined them. A few surprised gasps could be heard from the crowd, as they watched Nova Ranger demorph, revealing Sydney Drew.

Cheers replaced the sounds instantly, as all of the Rangers on the street demorphed. B-Squad was congratulated by the quickly-growing crowd of S.P.D. personnel. Syd glanced through the crowd until her eyes reached one of the taller figures standing amongst them. She sighed as she saw Sky Tate walking towards her. She made her way through their comrades, meeting him in the middle of the celebration.

As their eyes got closer to one another, neither truly knew what to say.

"Hi," Syd finally said.

"Hi," Sky said, before grinning at her. "You were amazing up there."

"Thanks, I—" Syd said, as she took a deep breath, knowing she had so much to say but didn't know where to start.

At that moment, they heard a car horn honking nearby. The two looked over to see the doors to the vehicle open. Syd smiled as she saw her mother was the driver. Anna Storm jumped out of the car and began running towards her.

"Syd!"

Syd hugged the girl, as Sky looked a bit surprised at Syd's young friend. Syd looked up at Sky and then back at Anna.

"I have a lot of explaining to do," Syd said, with a smile.

As she made introductions between the two and her approaching mother, the crowd continued their celebration. B-Squad introduced themselves to the Rangers of Triforia and Aquitar. Quinn & Erial shared a hug, face to face. Sam watched the celebrations and felt a rising curiosity when he spotted the raven-haired girl standing with Syd and Sky.

Then, he noticed two figures approaching the crowd. He was stunned when they got close enough for him to recognize.

"Z!" Sam called out, as he trotted over to her, seeing her helping Piggy along. "What are you doing with _him_?"

Piggy could hear the contempt in Sam's voice.

"It's okay, Sam," Z said, as she glanced at Piggy, who gave her a nod back.

Back in the crowd, Cruger & Kat were reunited with a hug of their own. The three Council representatives who had come to Earth walked over to them.

"We owe you a grave apology," Trecineas said.

"Yes," Urgundii chimed in. "We bear so much of the blame for what's happened. If you had been at full capacity here on Earth, things may never have escalated so quickly."

"Gentlemen," Cruger said to them. "Earth will never fall to evil. As long as we stick together, there's no threat we cannot defeat."

"Earth thanks you for your assistance," Kat said with a smile.

"President Cali's evil will not taint us any further," Pheon said. "We will see to that."

"Kat!"

Commander Manx turned quickly as she heard Bridge's screaming voice in the crowd. She walked away from Cruger and the representatives. As she made her way through the gathered crowd, she heard Bridge call out for her again. This time she realized that he was below her. She found Bridge kneeling at Sophie's side, along with Dr. Jensen. Kat joined them.

Pryce spoke, "Her mainframe's definitely been wiped. She's been completely deactivated."

He tried to touch the morpher burned into her back, but it was still too hot.

"It's been fused into her circuitry," Kat said, looking troubled.

Bridge closed his eyes, silently cursing himself. They turned Sophie over to see that her eyelids were still wide open. Her eyes, however, were completely white, devoid of any sign of life.

"Tell me you can fix her," Bridge said, looking at them.

"Bridge—" Pryce was about to speak, but Kat put up a hand, silencing him.

She turned to Bridge and looked into his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Bridge," Kat said, knowing Bridge would understand without needing to know the details at this moment.

* * *

As the sun rose on Newtech City, the city's largest symbol of protection was back in place, as if it had never been removed. The Delta Command Base had not changed, but it had felt like an eternity since S.P.D. Earth had set foot inside of the structure. For the first time in weeks, Kat Manx felt secure as Commander of S.P.D. Earth. It had been a few days since the battle and it was beginning to feel like home again. She walked the halls, admiring every inch of the base, alongside Supreme Commander Cruger.

"Almost feels like old times, doesn't it?" Cruger asked her.

"Almost," Kat responded. "But we both know everything's changed. Who would have thought S.P.D. would go through something so devastating, orchestrated by our own people."

"It was a definite blow, but we managed to stand tall in the end," Cruger said.

"I still can't help but think part of it was my fault," Kat said.

"_Your_ fault?" Cruger said, looking shocked.

He stopped their walk and turned to face Kat.

"How could any of this be your fault?"

"Secrets," Kat said, annoyed with herself. "If I had told B-Squad about the Van Tigue investigation in the beginning, they would have never gotten involved with Prax without telling me. Not to mention, my tumultuous relationship with Pryce. I was so resistant to his creativity that he kept the Delta X project's continuation a secret. And don't even get me started on the entire debacle with the Officers and Z's death."

Kat looked down at the ground, shaking her head.

"If we had been more open inside this building, it may not have been taken away so easily," Kat said. "We condemn Cali for his tactics, but we were just as bad."

Cruger grumbled.

"I'll admit that we all may have become a little too relaxed in our positions, but comparing us to Cali who would have preferred seeing Earth fall and us dead is a bit extreme," Cruger said.

"Still, B-Squad could have died out there. I wasn't there to protect them when they needed me," Kat said, as she continued to walk still staring at the floor. "I gave them that huge speech about everyone around here being there, being their "Red Ranger" and on a lot of levels I failed them."

"B-Squad will be stronger because of their struggle," Cruger said. "And, given your last personnel report, I don't think they'll be worried about leadership for a while."

Kat sighed, giving him a bit of a smile. She did take comfort in knowing B-Squad would no longer be without a Red Ranger. They turned a corner, continuing on their way.

"Speaking of personnel," Kat said. "There's going to be a lot of changes going on in your neck of the woods too."

"Yes," Cruger said, nodding. "Rumors are already circulating about who the new Galactic Council President might be. Apparently, our friend Pheon is the top candidate."

"I'm not surprised," Kat said, with a smile. "Although, if they finally give him the chance to voice his own opinions, he may never shut up."

The two shared a laugh.

"There's so much upheaval amongst the Council," Cruger explained. "The Barconians have lost their seat due to their secret partnership with President Cali. Their planet is still recovering from his manipulation. Representative Kevlar announced that the Divalians are also pulling out of Council participation."

"Really?" Kat looked curious. "But they didn't have anything to do with Sevarus' betrayal."

"You know the Divalians," Cruger said. "They put so much stock in their honor and obedience of policy that they felt it was necessary to withdraw despite the planet being innocent. Cali's corruption has had such a ripple effect."

"So, Pheon's on the short list to become the new President," Kat said, curiously. "That leaves two open seats on the Council."

"Actually, there's probably only one open seat," Cruger said. "The Council has offered the other seat to Isinia."

"Isinia?" Kat said, looking confused. "What planet will she be representing?"

"Sirius of course."

"But I thought planets with less than five members in their population weren't allowed to hold seats on the Council," Kat said.

"Sirius has five," Cruger said, almost grinning. "There's myself, Isinia, Isobel, Anubis Jr. and...our new addition to the family."

Kat's jaw dropped.

"Isinia's pregnant again?"

"No," Cruger said. "After our last ordeal, we decided to take another approach to parenthood."

Cruger pointed behind Kat, who turned to see Sam coming towards them. Kat looked confused again.

"Sam?"

"We've decided to try our hand at adoption," Cruger said, as Sam joined him at his side, smiling.

"That's wonderful," Kat said. "Congratulations."

"Sam Cruger," Sam said. "It has a nice ring to it."

"Of course this means that Sam will be coming back to Andruss III with us to live," Cruger told Kat. "At least until he's ready to begin his full-time Academy training."

"Well, I hope you and Isinia will send all of your children to the best Academy that S.P.D. has to offer," Kat said, with a smirk.

"You know it," Cruger said, with a chuckle.

* * *

On the other side of the base Sky Tate was the one taking a stroll, alongside Cash Donovan.

"This place is huge," Cash said, as he looked around.

"It's not as big as Myers," Sky said.

"That's true, but I'd gladly take this place over Fenix Prime any day," Cash said, smiling. "Any word on what we left behind there?"

"I think the word Commander Cruger used was chaos," Sky revealed. "Things have gotten extremely out of hand there. S.P.D. is waiting for the situation to calm down a bit before sending a squad in to restore order."

"Warden Gaines made his own bed," Cash said, angrily. "I still can't believe he was in the President's pocket."

"He wasn't the only one," Sky said, with a sigh. "But, if he's still alive, he'll pay for what he helped do to us. I just hope the same is true for Morgana and Dru."

Cash nodded along.

"So, what about you, Donovan?" Sky asked. "Now that you've been officially pardoned by the Council, what's your plan?"

"Oh, I don't know," Cash said, as they turned a corner, approaching the Rec Room. "I think I'll search around for a while, weigh my options."

As they got closer to the door, two female cadets walked past, drawing Cash's attention.

"You know me," Cash said, as he took a few extra seconds to look. "I'm always looking for my next adventure."

"More like conquest," Sky said. "So, I guess that means you won't be going back for your princess on Maqua II?"

"Nah," Cash said, with a nod. "She's probably moved on by now. I think I have too."

"Well, you know, there's always an open slot to join the Academy," Sky said, as they came to a stop at the doorway to the Rec Room.

Inside, Syd could be seen talking with Quinn, as Bridge sat quietly with them.

"Oh please," Cash said. "Could you imagine me in one of those uniforms? I don't think so. I'd never be able to follow the rules...especially that one you told me about fraternization between cadets."

Sky let out a deep sigh and glanced into the Rec Room, seeing Syd smiling as she talked to Quinn. Sky patted Cash on the shoulder.

"You know what they say, Cash. Some rules were meant to be broken," Sky smiled, as he walked into the Rec Room joining the others. He turned back to Cash briefly. "Just keep your nose clean, Donovan."

Cash shook his head before walking away.

* * *

Several corridors away, Kat Manx had caught up with Z Delgado.

"Hey, I was looking for you," Kat said. "I thought you'd want to know Piggy was officially charged and arrested yesterday."

"Really?" Z said, looking surprised. "For what?"

Kat looked confused.

"You mean he didn't tell you?" Kat said. "Piggy came to me the morning after the battle. He gave me a huge list of every crime he's ever committed, every criminal he's ever dealt with and the names of over a hundred more that he had his suspicions about. He turned himself in."

"I don't believe it," Z said.

"Believe it," Kat said. "He said he did it for you. Actually, he said he did it to preserve the humanity that you forced him to develop."

"I can't believe Piggy's in containment."

"Actually, given everything that's happened and what you and Syd had to say about his actions a few days ago, I made sure Piggy avoided containment. His sentence isn't too heavy and it's at a low-security prison here on Earth. Basically, he'll be doing a lot of community service."

"Lord knows there's enough spare parts out there on the street that need to be removed," Z said.

Kat nodded in agreement, just as Sam turned down the corner entering the corridor. He saw Z and instantly stopped in his tracks. Kat knew what was coming.

"I'll see you at the meeting," Kat told Z and continued on her way.

As Kat passed Sam, she nodded.

"Mr. Cruger," she said, with a smirk before heading around the corner Sam came from.

Sam laughed.

"Mr. _Cruger_?" Z said, as she walked closer. "What's that about?"

"Doggie and Isinia are adopting me," Sam said.

Z was stunned.

"Sam, that's wonderful," Z said. "No one deserves a family more than you do, after everything you've been through...after everything I put you through. I'm so sorry I lied to you."

"It's okay," Sam said. "Commander Cruger explained everything and he did it in a way that made me sorry...for the way I treated you before I left. I understand now why you did it and I had no right to say that I wished you were dead."

Z hugged Sam.

"You know, you're gonna have to start calling him dad," Z said, with a laugh as they walked away together.

"Yeah. That's gonna take some getting used to," Sam said.

* * *

Inside the Rec Room, Sydney Drew found herself finishing up the story of where she had been for the last several months and why. Quinn sat on the edge of his seat, listening to her story, which Sky only caught the end of. It was no matter to him, since Z had already filled him in during the shuttle ride to Earth from Fenix Prime. Syd paused several times as she noticed Bridge was listening, but not really as animated as he usually was when a story was told. He hadn't even talked through this one.

"That's some story," Quinn said. "And, you stumbled upon the future Nova Ranger in the process. Cool."

"Yeah," Syd said, with a sigh. "Kat's gonna let Anna stay here. I put my mom out enough and with her here, I'll be able to keep a closer eye on her."

"It's a big responsibility," Sky chimed in, as he sat next to her. "She's the future."

"I know, but I think I can handle it," Syd said, as she smiled at him, as Z walked in, taking a seat on the opposite couch, between Bridge & Quinn.

"So, what'd I miss?" she asked.

"I was just telling them everything," Syd said. "It feels so good to be back home."

"Yeah," Z chimed in. "It's nice to be back here together, especially in this room."

"We had some good times in here," Sky said, as they looked around. "I'm sure B-Squad will continue the legacy."

"I just wish we could _all_ have been here," Bridge finally spoke.

All eyes fell on him. Z put an arm around him.

"We're all gonna miss Sophie, Bridge," she said. "And Jack too. They should both be here."

Bridge nodded to her, just as Kat walked in carrying three LCD pads. She sighed as she saw the five of them seated in front of her.

"It's so appropriate that we're meeting here," she said. "This is where you all bonded. It's almost fitting that it's where you say goodbye."

All five of the Rangers looked around at their teammates.

"Goodbye?" Sky said, looking curious.

"Supreme Commander Cruger has finalized your orders," Kat revealed. "I have the new assignments for Bridge, Z and Quinn."

The three of them stood up, as Kat handed them the pads that told them their futures. Quinn smiled, as he read his.

"You're sending me to Fernovia?"

Kat smiled. "Yes. As you saw, Fernovia's S.P.D. Rangers are in desperate need of a new Blue Ranger. Representative Urgundii requested you personally. Apparently, you made a big impact on their Rangers."

"Especially a certain Pink Ranger," Sky said, with a smile.

Quinn smirked at Sky.

"Thanks. But still, it's gonna be hard to leave Earth," Quinn said, as his face turned somber.

"You and me both," Z said, as she finished reading her own new assignment. "I can't believe this."

"What is it?" Syd asked.

"Z's been offered a detective spot at the S.P.D. Major Cases division on Andruss III," Kat revealed.

"Detective?" Z said, surprised.

"Supreme Commander Cruger thinks you'll be a perfect fit and I agree with him. It's an elite squad and they don't recruit just anyone. You'll get to work on Piggy's laundry list of criminals," Kat said. "Plus, you'll be close enough to peek in on Sam whenever you like."

"Thanks, Kat," Z said, with a smile.

Syd came over hugging her.

"This is great. You deserve it," Syd said. "I would have been lost out there without you to back me up."

"So, what about you, Bridge?" Sky asked.

"I...don't understand these orders," Bridge said.

"Bridge is being sent to Andruss III as well," Kat explained. "Space Patrol Delta is starting up a new branch there—our own robotics division."

The Rangers all looked surprised.

"Given the downfall of Vanguard X and our experience in the last year with robots and cyborgs, the Council and the Supreme Commander believe that we can't avoid the future. So, we're going to begin experimenting with our own cybernetic creations. We're going to do this the right way," Kat said. "Since myself and Dr. Jensen are both busy here, we could think of no better Officer to join their growing team of scientists. Bridge, you can do this."

Bridge was speechless, as he thought of the possibilities.

"Sophie?" he said, as his telepathic powers worked overtime in reading Kat's thoughts.

"She'll be your first project," Kat said.

Bridge grabbed Kat into a hug.

"Thank you. You have no idea what this means," Bridge said.

"I think I do," Kat said. "And don't worry. Dr. Jensen and I are only a phone call away whenever you need us. That goes for all of you."

"Good luck, buddy," Sky called out to Bridge.

"Wait," Quinn said, looking at Sky and Syd. "What about them?"

"Yeah," Z said. "What about Sky and Syd?"

"Sky and Syd have their orders already," Kat said. "Sky will retake his post as Earth's Red Ranger. He won't have a formal team behind him, but he will continue to patrol the city, help with Academy training courses and of course assist his Commander in any way she sees fit."

"Sounds good to me," Sky said.

"No team, though?" Bridge wondered.

"How will you survive with no one to boss around?" Quinn said, sarcastically.

"It's okay," Sky said. "I think I'm gonna like going solo for a while. Plus, I've still got Murphy."

"And what about you, Syd?" Z asked.

Syd tried to hide the big smile on her face, but was unsuccessful.

"My new assignment is...a surprise," Syd said. "I don't want to give it away too soon. But, I promise you guys will know before you leave."

"Speaking of which," Kat said to Bridge & Z. "Commander Cruger's agreed to give you two a lift back to Andruss III, so you better start packing. The shuttle back to Fernovia won't be staying forever either, Quinn."

"Right," they said together.

Kat exited the Rec Room, followed by the three Rangers. Syd was about to follow when Sky grabbed her arm.

"So, why are you being so cryptic about your assignment?" Sky asked.

"I just want it to be a surprise," Syd said. "That's all."

"You know I don't like surprises," Sky said, smirking.

"Well, Officer Tate, you better get used to it," Syd said, as she pulled his head down towards hers for a kiss. "Trust me when I say you have nothing to worry about...yet."

"Yet? What does that mean?"

"Let's just say I'm not leaving Earth," Syd said, with a nod, as she walked slowly towards the Rec Room door, with her back to it so she could keep her eyes on Sky.

"Okay," Sky said, still looking confused. "You just let me know when you're ready to talk...Nova."

Syd rolled her eyes.

"Don't call me that. Nova is Anna's thing. I was just trying it out," Syd said.

"What should I call you then?"

"As long as it's not Syren Dean, it's fine with me," she said, with a wink, as she turned to leave.

As she made her way out of the doorway, she peeked her head back in.

"Actually, if you're looking for a good nickname, you can always try...red," she said, before walking off.

Sky's face contorted as he was let completely confused by her statement.

"Wait—what—red?" he called after her.

* * *

Sky takes a look around his room, glancing at a picture of his father in his S.P.D. uniform. Sky smiles, as he places the picture on his desk, next to one of Syd. He grabs his cycle helmet and looks up, contemplating the future.

**It's been a tough time for us all. But they say that in the toughest of times, we realize what's most important in our lives...**

Outside of the Delta Command Base, Supreme Commander Cruger waited patiently, along with Representative Pheon, Urgundii and Trecineas, as a long black limo arrived. The doors open and Isinia steps out with Anubis Jr. and Isobel in her arms. Cruger takes his daughter into his arms, as Isinia holds their daughter.

Behind Isinia, Representatives Delphine & Alaina Doherty exit the vehicle, greeting their fellow council members.

**It's the kinship we share, the relationships that we know will last a lifetime even as they are just beginning...**

Sam & Anna are talking when Cruger calls them over. Sam introduces Anna to the Crugers. She smiles, playfully nudging his shoulder. He nudges back only to be playfully pushed by the girl before she sprints away with him in hot pursuit.

**We look to the future, hopeful for what joys it may bring but well aware of the long journey that stands in our way...**

In the main science laboratory of the Delta Command Base, Bridge stares at a computer terminal, which shows the blueprints of a cyborg. After staring at it, seriously for several minutes, he turns away from the desk and stands up.

He walks over to the far wall of the laboratory, where Sophie's deactivated body is stored. Bridge stares into her blank eyes with hope.

**Looking ahead to what may come doesn't mean that we forget what has passed. We'll never forget the sacrifices, the relationships, the teamwork or the legacy...**

In another corridor, Z Delgado glances at a blank wall in a corridor. She takes a deep breath and places Jack's memorial plaque back on the wall, gently running her fingers along the crack in the plaque and then across Jack's name engraved on the plaque. She smiles.

Cash Donovan walks up to her and leans against the wall next to the plaque, smirking at her. Z rolls her eyes.

Sam & Anna come running around the corner, passing them. Sam stops for a moment to glance at Z, who waves to him, before he runs off after Anna.

**And as we move forward, we adjust our ways, our thinking, as we learn and build a strong, new legacy that we can all be proud of...**

Around an adjacent corner, the two teenagers continue to chase one another. They pass Kat and Pryce walking towards the Command Center. Kat is about to speak out against their running, when Pryce stops her, gently covering her mouth. Kat smirks at him as he uncovers her mouth and points at the Command Center doorway.

Kat gives him a suspicious look as she takes a few steps forward, causing the doors to slide open. Kat is surprised to see a candlelit meal laid out on a tablecloth over the main control console in the center of the room. She turns to look at Dr. Jensen, who smiles. The two walk in together, letting the doors close behind them.

**It's the unknown that lies ahead for us all, but we face it with strength of spirit and courage within our souls. We are determined to live on...**

Sam & Anna come running out of the Delta Command Base, as two figures watch from the rooftop. Standing up there, Quinn returns his eyes to view of Newtech City. He points to several landmarks, showing them to Erial as she stands in awe of the view.

Quinn smiles, as he looks to her and she takes his hand.

**With the future comes change and while its natural to be afraid, we go on, to protect, to fight, to serve because it is our purpose, our mandate, our calling...**

Down below, Anna & Sam go running right past B-Squad. All four of the Rangers are standing in a straight line, side by side, in their suits, with their helmets removed, as another suited figure walks in front of each of them. Duc, Casey, Meg and Boom are all smiling, proudly, as they hold their helmets under their arms. The figure in front of them stops. Wearing the former A-Squad Red Ranger suit, the figure removes her helmet to reveal Sydney Drew.

She waves as she sees Sam and Anna running by. She glances back at each member of B-Squad, giving them an encouraging smile. Syd glances around until she sees Sky in the distance, standing next to his patrol cycle, looking at her. The two share a distant smile. Syd nods to him and he nods back, as he puts on his helmet.

**Wherever we go from here, we know that all we've built will remain. We know that the strength of our dedication will carry on. Justice will be served. We won't ever let it die...**

Sky looks down at Murphy, as he mounts his patrol cycle and starts the engine, taking off down the street, with the patrol hound keeping pace with him. Sky continues down the road, passing a group of prisoners cleaning up trash on the side of the road. He nods as he passes them.

Piggy walks out into the street, wearing his prison jumpsuit. He nods as he sees Sky ride by. Then, Piggy's eyes grow wide, as he sees a large piece of roadkill in the street. He picks it up, licking his lips, before the prison guard shouts for him to get back to work.

**To let our legacy die would mean we lose our souls, our essence of being. That is a fight I know we'll never lose...**

Sky's patrol cycle continues down the street, as if it were driving right into the bright sun, gleaming down on Newtech City.

**THE END**


End file.
